Few franchises on TV have run for as along as that of The Walking Dead. Even without the original show on the air anymore (TWD concluded in 2022 with a series finale that set up future spinoffs), there are more stories to be told in this post-apocalyptic world brought to life on AMC. We see that through the eyes of some of the longest-standing characters of the TWD Universe on both The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and The Walking Dead: Dead City.
The former has continued to entertain through its long-awaited third season (which has just recently completed its run), meaning that fans got to celebrate the upcoming 15th anniversary of the original show while also enjoying the current storylines within it. And that allowed series producers, as well as longtime TWD stars Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride (who both star in the spinoff) to talk about the original show's legacy while also discussing the current storylines within the franchise.
In the midst of it all, fans got a jaw-dropper of a revelation that has ensured these storylines are far from over for the TWD Universe.
The Walking Dead could go on for another 15 years, TWD boss confirms
The end is far from nigh for The Walking Dead Universe. The iconic franchise may be about to head into its sixteenth year, but the-powers-that-be reckon it could last a lot longer than that. AMC's Chief Content Officer of the TWD Universe, Scott Gimple, reflected on the legacy of this world at a retrospective panel at Mipcom but he also looked forward to the future, too.
As reported by Variety, Gimple said that Daryl Dixon is just one example of the TWD Universe's stories beyond the original series and that, even with its finale coming in its fourth season, there is still plenty more to do with this world and these characters. He even referenced the likes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe in that it has found new and different ways to expand the world around it to tell new stories, adding:
"It was all one story. It went in all sorts of different directions... Even with characters who have done so many things, we can put them in different worlds where they have different challenges and evolve them through these challenges.”
Gimple does have a point. The world of a zombie apocalypse is full of storytelling possibilities, and there's so much more that can be done with that concept - with or without the fan-favorite TWD characters we've come to love over the years.
What's even more exciting is what AMC Networks President Dan McDermott said, as he suggested that some of our favorite TWD characters - Daryl and Carol included - could stick around for a decade and a half, saying:
"It’s quite possible we could see this group up here 15 years from now. There are many more continents to visit. It’s about how [the characters] evolve over time. It’s really exciting to see how far we can take this.”
More Walking Dead to come makes it clear that the TWD Universe will live for many more years
Needless to say, this particular comment sent the internet into meltdown as fans began debating about whether or not the Walking Dead franchise should stick around for another 15 years. The most devoted fans, however, had their days made, as it means that their beloved franchise could be on our screens for a very long time to come.
This is the kind of reassurance that is welcome right now given that both ongoing spinoffs likely have more episodes behind them than ahead of them. Now, it's important to point out that both have been renewed, but it's already been confirmed that Daryl Dixon will end with its fourth season. Meanwhile, Dead City will be back for a third, but it arguably has the most limited concept out of all of the newer spinoffs, so it probably won't have too many seasons left either. With that, audiences began to wonder if the franchise that wouldn't die would begin its journey to the afterlife in the near-future. Not on AMC's watch, it seems!
While these comments are the most hopeful yet, they do allude to comments that Gimple had made earlier in the year about there being more spinoffs in development - including one which he was particularly excited about. Although details remain scarce at this point in time, it's clear that the creatives see the value in taking the TWD Universe global as Daryl Dixon and Dead City have showed everyone that shorter, more cinematic stories within this franchise can challenge it in new and exciting ways that the original series couldn't.
The only questions are: Where could any potential new TWD spinoffs be set, and who would star in them? Who knows at this point, but we're excited to find out - especially as it could guarantee many, many more years of TWD!
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 is now streaming on AMC+.