Anything can happen in The Walking Dead Universe - and that includes coming back from the dead. A number of characters have proven that over the years, from the original show's Rick Grimes to Fear The Walking Dead's Madison Clark. And in an ongoing story about the dead literally rising from, well, the dead, that shouldn't be too surprising.
The franchise continues to tell new stories each and every year, using some of The Walking Dead's most popular characters to do that with. And considering that we are in an era for the franchise built on all kinds of returns, it's great to know that there are more in store. Yes, that's right, with new seasons of Daryl Dixon and Dead City on the horizon, audiences can expect more surprises in the not-too-distant future - and that might even include the big one!
In fact, over the past months, there have been a few significant return updates that you might have missed since the shows aren't currently airing new episodes. But fear not: We're here to break them down for you, and offer a progress report on where they stand now.
3. Emily Kinney returns as Beth Greene in Dead City season 3
Fans are eagerly awaiting the third season of The Walking Dead: Dead City and it's not just because it will treat us to another adventure in the Big Apple for Maggie and Negan. The season will indeed see the two former enemies attempt to rebuild a better world (alongside ally Perlie Armstrong) as they try to save Maggie's son Hershel from the grip of The Dama and the Croat, but it will also feature a major comeback of sorts from the TWD Universe.
Set photos from on location filming in Central Park earlier this year confirmed that Emily Kinney will reprise her role as Beth Greene, Maggie's beloved sister. It will mark the first time that Kinney has appeared in the franchise since Beth was killed in The Walking Dead season 5 midseason finale (episode 8 "Coda"), which aired back in 2014. Naturally, fans are wondering how she could be involved considering that the character clearly died on-screen, but there have been some interesting theories.
The set photos seemed to suggest a festive alternate reality in which Maggie and Negan seemingly run-in to Beth on the streets of New York - streets which haven't been overrun with the dead. And thus, it's pretty safe to assume that it's some kind of fantasy sequence or dream that will likely haunt Maggie throughout season 3 of Dead City.
The third season is expected to air in 2026 but it's unclear when as AMC has yet to announce a comeback date. But when it does return, Beth will be right there with it.
2. Seth Hoffman is coming back as Dead City's new showrunner
While you probably didn't miss last summer's announcement that Dead City had been renewed for a third season, you might have overlooked the fact that it will have a new showrunner. AMC confirmed that Eli Jorné bowed out after wrapping on season 2, allowing TWD veteran Seth Hoffman to take over from season 3 onwards.
As longtime Walking Dead fans will know, Hoffman was an executive producer on the original series from seasons 4 through 6, overseeing what many consider to be the peak of the show - and, therefore, the peak of the whole TWD franchise. He also wrote the absolutely stunning season 4 midseason finale "Too Far Gone" which many fans consider to be the greatest hour in the show's entire 11-season run.
Needless to say, excitement is high for his comeback to the franchise in Dead City's third season - particularly as it feels like the show needs a new era beyond its initial concept. Perhaps Hoffman is indeed the one to provide it with that.
1. Andrew Lincoln in talks to return as Rick Grimes
As long as there is life in The Walking Dead franchise, there is life in the question that fans will keep asking: When is Rick Grimes coming back? The "when" is still a little unclear, but the "coming back" part is in the works, according to the Andrew Lincoln himself.
The actor sat down for an interview with Laura Kuenssberg in September and, upon being asked whether audiences could ever expect to see him return to the role of Rick in the TWD Universe, he responded with a pretty definitive: "Yeah, well, there’s a conversation happening right now."
While we know that both Kinney and Hoffman's returns will take place in Dead City season 3, the arena for Rick's comeback is unknown. The character got his long-awaited - and long overdue - happily ever after moment in the conclusion of spinoff The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live when he and Michonne finally reunited with their kids at Alexandria, so that could very well serve as the end of all four characters' arcs. And yet, there are options for a future return.
The series finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (also the season 4 finale) will air this year, so Daryl and Carol will likely return from their Euopean excursion before the credits roll. When that happens, they will likely find out that Rick is alive, potentially leading to a cameo appearance from Lincoln to allow us to see the characters reunite. If not that, then there have long been rumors of an Avengers: Endgame-style crossover that would effectively unite the spinoffs and close out this chapter of the TWD Universe era. Surely, if that happens, Lincoln would appear in that.
As we count down the days for more from the TWD Universe, it's good to know that more familiar faces will be involved at some point - both in front of and behind the camera. In this franchise, a familiar face is always a good thing.
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