The fact that the world is still talking about AMC's Walking Dead franchise in 2026 is a testament to the franchise's enduring appeal. You might think that the franchise would have closed its doors after the conclusion of The Walking Dead in 2022 but the saga continues to this day via multiple sequel shows spotlighting some of the TWD Universe's most beloved characters. And that ensures that the fans have stuck around too.
But there are some times that even the franchise's most devoted of fans struggle with news related to TWD, and we have indeed found ourselves in one of those occasions. See, during AMC's recent release of its 2025 fourth-quarter earnings report came the revelation that the original series could be leaving Netflix for the first time in years. And considering that it has been at least partially responsible for keeping the franchise in the pop-culture sphere, it's understandable that fans are cautious about this potential departure.
Fans react to The Walking Dead's potential departure from Netflix
Upon hearing that AMC will be gaining control of the licensing rights to The Walking Dead in "less than a year", fans were not happy. Although the cable network produced the program, the deal that it currently has with Netflix to stream all 11 seasons has been a lucrative investment for them as it has continued to ensure that the series remained in the public eye years after its conclusion. In fact, the mothership series of the TWD Universe was among Netflix's most-watched programs once upon a time as fans binged the multitude of seasons that were available. It also enjoyed renewed success each time a new season was added and experienced an increase in viewership when fans caught up ahead of the final season.
So, no, they didn't respond well to this revelation whatsoever - both because it means that the show could lose visibility or it could mean subscribing to another streaming service at a time when there are just far too many of them. A number of fans responded with the crying emojis, adding that they had just started their rewatch of the series. Given that The Walking Dead is 11 seasons (and 177 episodes) long, it's understandable that they are concerned they might not finish before the show's potential exit date.
Another fan was upset about its potential removal as they described it as their comfort show, while one in particular said that it would be "the worst thing to happen". Meanwhile, another recommended that now is the time for other fans to invest in buying the show's collection on DVD and / or Blu-Ray so that they can watch it on home media anytime they like. Yes to physical media!
As for where The Walking Dead could end up, that remains to be seen. But there are a number of potential candidates, with the most likely perhaps being AMC's own AMC+. The streaming service is largely responsible for continuing the TWD Universe through the spinoffs Dead City, Daryl Dixon, and The Ones Who Live, exclusively housing all three through their initial runs. While long-running spinoff Fear The Walking Dead is also housed there, the original series can't be due to the streaming deal with Netflix. Perhaps AMC sees this as an opportunity to get more eyeballs on their streaming service.
While The Walking Dead is still one of the most popular shows in the world, a portion of the credit for why the original series has continued to remain relevant should go towards its exposure on Netflix. While there are undoubtedly countless people out there who subscribe to the streamer to watch that show in particular, there are also people who would have just come across it while browsing the platform's huge collection of movies and shows. Netflix is, after all, the biggest streaming service in the world for TV and movies, and its algorithm has made many shows unlikely successes over the years. Taking the show off that could harm the brand's relevancy in 2026.
The spinoffs continue to draw large audiences to AMC+ but that streamer doesn't have the same visibility as Netflix does when it comes to housing the original show. And if keeping TWD on Netflix might ensure that new fans then tune into the spinoff, it's a good idea in the long-run. After all, it's working for them now. And with that, it's easy to see why fans are distraught at the idea of their favorite show leaving Netflix.