For years, fans of The Walking Dead franchise have been asking to see what the rest of the post-apocalyptic world looked like. Did the dead rise outside of the US, or was it a location-specific thing? As the original series (and its first ever spinoff Fear The Walking Dead) came to a close just a few years ago, it looked like we might not get that answer. But when The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premiered in 2023 and the titular character travelled to France, we got it.
After the original show had steered clear of the rest of the world, it was refreshing to see the franchise venture into these new horizons over 10 years into its existence. But that's one of the things that makes Daryl Dixon such a visually-stunning watch, particularly as the Paris architecture looked nothing short of incredible on film.
There is one area in specific that fans have longed to see in this undead world and it's well-documented by now that we're finally going to get it in the show's upcoming third season. That location is the UK, specifically London, which will play a part in the season 3 premiere. It might not be the whole focus of the season (as it's going to be set in Spain mostly) but it will tick a long-awaited moment off the list for original fans who are excited to see it happen. Now, the creative team behind the show have spoken about that decision.
Daryl Dixon creators share excitement for London's debut in the TWD Universe
In a new behind-the-scenes video uploaded on The Walking Dead's official YouTube account, the creative team tease the upcoming debut of London in Daryl Dixon season 3. Showrunner David Zabel discussed the thinking behind the new settings of the show, saying that they all thought about ideas that could make it "bigger and feels different and unique" to the show. He specifically honed in on his excitement to take the world of the TWD Universe to London for the first time ever, saying:
"We were very excited to see London after the fall, and through Daryl and Carol's eyes."
Executive producer and SFX make-up supervisor Greg Nicotero (who has worked on The Walking Dead franchise since the very beginning in 2010) shared Zabel's excitement, saying that "One of the greatest aspects of Daryl Dixon is the global nature of the show". And there is simply no arguing with that. The series made the TWD Universe feel so much more larger-than-life than it had in years by taking its story outside of the US. Although season 3 will miss the eerily beautiful sites of post-apocalyptic France, it will more than make up for that with its London and Spain settings.
As fans know, Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier will find themselves in London after their travels through the Chunnel in the season 2 finale took them from France to the UK. Although they aren't expected to stay there for long as most of the season is set in Spain, it's a major milestone for not just the show but the whole franchise as the UK was one of the biggest locations that fans have wanted to see from this universe since its inception. To pull it off now, 15 years after The Walking Dead's debut, is seriously impressive, and it's a testament to Daryl Dixon's commitment to trying new things... even in a franchise as old as this one.
Although the pair won't be staying in London for long, it will serve a major purpose to the story. It's there that they will meet Julian, whose boat seemingly gets them to Spain. It's unclear if he'll remain a friend or a foe at this point as Merchant teases that "[Carol and Daryl's] agenda is not always the same as his". At one point, there was even a fan theory that the character could have been Jeffrey Grimes, the brother of Rick Grimes, as he spends time in Spain in the comics. That doesn't appear to be the case now that we know Julian is from the UK and will help Daryl and Carol get to Spain, but's worth bearing in mind, especially in a franchise that loves as many twists as this one.
We do know, however, that the character is potentially the last-surviving person in England as a previously-released clip that introduced us to the character featured a snippet of him opening up about his tragic backstory to Daryl and Carol.
To hear Zabel and Nicotero share their excitement to see the TWD Universe finally explore London is incredibly fulfilling for fans who are also extremely excited for this prospect. Although it's been clear that the UK and Spain have both been on Daryl Dixon's radar for some time now, hearing the thinking behind it highlights how much the creative team care about finally giving the fans what they want.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 premieres on AMC and AMC+ on September 7, 2025.
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