AMC's Walking Dead saga has been a fixture of the TV landscape for almost two decades. Fans just celebrated the 17th anniversary of the original series, which is more than enough reason to reflect on the legacy of the franchise. But perhaps the most amazing thing about all of it is that this franchise still has a future, as there are still projects in the works at AMC in the TWD Universe.
Before that, however, the fourth and final season of spinoff The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon looks to bring the collective story of two of the franchise's most beloved characters to a close, as Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier are back on our screens for one more adventure. It will mark the end of an era for the franchise, but the long-awaited returns of two fan-favorite characters,
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon's final season is nearly here
It's nearly time: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 4 is almost upon us. The long-awaited fourth installment of the TWD Universe series is set to arrive on AMC and AMC+ in February 2027. It's a little later than expected - as fans had spent all year waiting for the show to arrive in its typical September slot - but it's now just around four months away. And you can rest assured that it's going to be worth the wait.
AMC had previously confirmed that the show would return with new episodes this year, but at some point in time the studio changed their mind. Star Norman Reedus then announced that it would be delayed until next year instead before the cable network subsequently confirmed that it would arrive on screens in February. And while nobody has confirmed why it has taken so long to arrive, it is likely down to the fact that AMC simply wanted to prolong its current TWD line-up as the-powers-that-be map out the next phase of the franchise.
See, Daryl Dixon season 4 wrapped production at the end of 2025, having filmed in relatively close succession with the third season (which premiered in September 2025). The show has maintained an annual release format - in a world where that has become exceedingly rare for big-budget streaming shows - so it's not that the season wouldn't have been ready for its usual September release slot. No, this was likely a creative choice to ensure that 2027 has a ready-made Walking Dead show to go - extending the franchise's 17-year streak of annual content for at least another year.
As fans of the Walking Dead franchise will likely know, Daryl Dixon's fourth season will be its last. All involved felt that this was the right time to bring a close to the story of Daryl and his badass best friend Carol Peletier's European journey, as the show will reach its inevitable conclusion of getting the pair back home to the US. And, as things currently stand, this is the last confirmed TWD series on the immediate horizon because, as of yet, AMC has not renewed fellow spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City for a fourth season.
There are plans for the future of the franchise, but they will likely look very different to this current phase. Therefore, delaying Daryl Dixon season 4 to 2027 was a clever way of giving the creatives a lengthier window to work out what that next chapter will look like.
The end of Daryl and Carol's story will be worth the wait
As we mentioned above, Daryl Dixon season 4 is the show's final season. That means we should prepare to bid farewell to both the titular character and his badass best friend Carol Peletier in an emotional adventure that will bring about a close to their collective story. And, in doing so, it could very well mark the end for both characters' tenure in the TWD Universe.
But is it really the end for both characters? That much is unclear as Norman Reedus is in talks to return to the franchise in the near-future while Melissa McBride has confirmed that she will be taking a bit of a break after the show's conclusion. So, fans are concerned that it might mark the end of Carol's near-two-decade run in the franchise - a run that started in the third episode of The Walking Dead back in 2010 (which, ironically, was also in Daryl Dixon's first episode, too).
Irrespective of what the future holds for both characters individually, it certainly seems as if we are about to witness their final chapter together as the iconic duo that Walking Dead fans have come to know and love over the years. That's a major event in and of itself, and the idea of a world - both the real world and the TWD Universe - without Daryl and Carol's friendship is sad, as the pair have given us so many gold moments over the years.
That being said, it certainly ensures that the lengthy wait for the show's impending final season will be worth it. Reedus and McBride are electric together whenever they are on our screens and you just know that the final season will feature plenty of emotional moments throughout its eight-episode run. And that's whenever the pair aren't attempting to battle running walkers, deal with more human threats, and navigate their way back to the US.
There's also those long-standing rumors that Andrew Lincoln might reprise his role as Rick Grimes in the series finale, greeting Daryl and Carol when they return to Alexandria. It would only make sense considering that Rick's own spinoff The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live brought him and Michonne back home. It would be only right if they were there to welcome Daryl and Carol back too.
AMC made fans wait unexpectedly long for Daryl Dixon's final chapter but, as 2026 prepares to bow out, it will undoubtedly be worth it.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 4 arrives on AMC and AMC+ in February 2027.
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