Negan & Lucille are back in the season 2 teaser for The Walking Dead: Dead City

AMC premiered a teaser (view below) for the second season of The Walking Dead: Dead City at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). The series recently wrapped filming for the upcoming season will consist of eight episodes, two more than the debut season. At the beginning of the teaser, a familiar whistle is heard, followed by metal scraping on concrete as Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) drags a new version of Lucille across the floor.

This wasn't much of a surprise to many because spoiler-ish videos and images circulated on social media during filming of Dead City, which took place in Massachusetts. But to others, it was quite a shock.

In season 1, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) made a deal to exchange Negan for her son Hershel (Logan Kim), who was abducted by a former Savior named The Croat (Željko Ivanek). It seemed that The Croat was the man in charge of things in post-apocalyptic Manhattan, but by the end of the season, it would be revealed that The Dama (Lisa Emery) is really the one running things. She is a ruthless woman who commands respect and doesn't mince words.

The Dama also held court with Negan, informing him that she almost believed he was a figment of The Croat's imagination, as he held Negan and his role as a leader of the Saviors in high regard. She requests that Negan join her as she takes over the criminal elements of Manhattan.

The whistle, Lucille, and Negan's command of the room in the teaser appear to show that the Savior's leader could very well return. The church featured in the teaser is the New York City landmark, St. Patrick's Cathedral. Could this be the new Sanctuary?

Season 1 doesn't clarify how many other gangs are running rampant in Manhattan, only that the Dama wants to unite them so she can reign supreme. But she needs someone "with confidence, fearlessness, charisma, that special, shall we say, political talent," referring, of course, to Negan.

Why would Negan even consider reverting to his old ways after trying so hard to redeem himself? During their meeting, the Dama tells Negan exactly why he will help her. Before allowing Hershel to be exchanged she took his pinky toe as a reminder that "I can always go back for more." Regardless of Negan's past actions, he will not allow a child to be hurt if he can help it.

The Walking Dead: Dead City will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in 2025.

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