15 years after its premiere on TV screens and it's pretty safe to say that The Walking Dead franchise has done it all. Originally an uber-popular Robert Kirkman comic series, TWD evolved into a global phenomenon thanks to the popularity of the original AMC TV series - which ran for a staggering 11 seasons. Since then, we've had six spinoff shows, multiple webseries offshoots, video games, novels, and even some unlikely crossovers.
There are still two spinoffs on the air, with Daryl Dixon returning for its fourth and final season (set to air next year) and Dead City also coming back for a third season (which is also expected to air next year). There are also reports that a new spinoff is in the works, with Andrew Lincoln possibly set to reprise his role as Rick Grimes (that one has not yet been officially confirmed but, considering that the TWD Universe franchise has been building towards that, it's plausible). And now, the franchise is set to engage in another crossover altogether.
The Walking Dead to cross over with World War Z in January
AMC and Saber Interactive have partnered up to bring us a Walking Dead and World War Z crossover that fans of the zombie genre have been waiting to see for years. The announcement came earlier this week and it was met with a positive reception from gamers, who can't wait to see the two worlds collide right before their eyes.
It will take place in Saber's World War Z video game, which will feature a brand new DLC content pack in January that has new zombie variations inspired by The Walking Dead's walkers. This will make for quite the change for players of the game, as World War Z is renowned for its unhinged, running zombies - a clear contrast to the slow-moving walkers of the TWD Universe. And yes, among the new arrivals will be the infamous Spiked Walker. But they won't be the only major additions to this crossover.
Watch the announcement trailer below:
Yep, that's right: The World War Z x The Walking Dead crossover will feature beloved TWD characters Rick Grimes, Michonne, Daryl Dixon, and Negan in the three separate chapters of the new DLC campaign. Better yet, Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus are reprising their roles as Rick and Daryl, voicing the characters in the game.
Along with them are some exhilarating weapons that fans of the TV series will undoubtedly recognize. That includes Rick's iconic revolver, Michonne's trusty katana, Daryl's legendary crossbow, and Negan's infamous barbed-wire bat known as Lucille.
The three-part campaign allows fans to explore some of the TV series' most iconic locations. The first chapter sees the quartet of TWD characters return to the Prison (which played a large part in the third and fourth seasons of the AMC series), where they must battle an army of walkers in the correctional facility. The second location will be Alexandria (which served as Rick and his friends' home from season 5 onwards in the show) as they discover that it has been set on fire, allowing the dead to roam freely through it. And the third installment will see them return to Grady Memorial Hospital - where Beth and Carol were held during season 4 of the show.
Needless to say, this is an extremely exciting development for fans, who have been hoping for Lincoln to remain involved in the franchise after his character's story was wrapped up on 2024 spinoff / miniseries The Ones Who Live. While the World War Z crossover isn't canon to the TWD Universe, it's great to see that Lincoln is continuing his involvement within the wider franchise as the character. And honestly, it's great because we couldn't imagine anyone else voicing Rick Grimes.
This could also be a sign of things to come for the franchise's TV future. Lincoln himself recently confirmed that he was in discussions to bring Rick back to the TWD Universe in some capacity. Although he didn't go into more detail, the speculation has understandably begun among the fanbase. And they don't have to look far to see where that comeback could be. From the imminent series finale of Daryl Dixon to those rumors of a TWD Avengers: Endgame-like crossover event, there are projects and places that could facilitate that return. Maybe we'll get to see Lincoln and Reedus reunite on-screen too. That would be great!
In the meantime, though, we're more than happy to hear their voices in World War Z x The Walking Dead as the characters from the latter zombie franchise battle the dangers of the former.
The World War Z x The Walking Dead crossover event will be made available via DLC in January 2026.