As crazy as it seems, AMC's The Walking Dead franchise is somehow heading into its 18th year of existence. The saga all began back in Halloween 2010 when The Walking Dead itself premiered on the cable network and it has since spun out into one of the most recognizable media franchises to ever grace the screen. Seriously, almost two decades later and we're still talking about the TWD Universe.
The characters are largely responsible for that, too, as fans instantly grew attached to the likes of Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, Carol Peletier, Maggie Rhee, Michonne, Hershel, Glenn, Abraham and so many more. And, what's even more impressive is that some of those characters are still regular - or semi-regular - parts of the annual TV calendars.
Finally, two of them make their long-awaited return to screens next year after a year-long absence.
Daryl and Carol finally return in Daryl Dixon season 4 next year
It won't be long until Norman Reedus' Daryl Dixon and Melissa McBride's Carol Peletier are back on our screens. The action heroes of the TWD Universe will make their long-awaited return in the fourth and final season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which is set to premiere on AMC and AMC+ in 2027. It marks their first TV appearance in over a year, as the third season completed its run back in October 2025.
Naturally, fans are hopeful that the show's return will take place earlier in the year rather than later. After all, if it gets left until its typical September release window, it will mark two full years since audiences last saw Daryl and Carol - something that seems pretty silly considering that season 4 was filmed and wrapped in fall 2025. The season is ready; AMC is just trying to find the right time to air it.
In fact, it was originally set to premiere this year alongside the third season of fellow TWD spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City but somewhere along the line AMC made the decision to postpone it to next year instead, running Dead City season 3 through the summer and into early September instead. Although the reasoning behind the delay wasn't confirmed, fans speculated that it might have something to do with the fact that the immediate future of the TWD Universe franchise is unclear right now, so pushing Daryl Dixon season 4 to 2027 gives all involved time to plan the next phase of the franchise, ensuring that new Walking Dead content airs next year (allowing the TWD saga to continue its 17-year streak of new adventures for another year).
While there are hopes that Dead City will be back for a fourth season, Daryl Dixon will definitively end next year - bringing a close to Daryl and Carol's arcs (for now at least). The Walking Dead legends have been a part of the franchise since the very beginning, making their debuts in episode 3. Nobody could have known then that McBride's beloved Carol and Reedus' intriguing Daryl would end up becoming the two-longest-standing characters in the whole franchise (in terms of uninterrupted screen-time at least). And there are hopes that the pair will return in some capacity when their own spinoff does bow out next year.
When fans last saw Daryl and Carol at the end of Daryl Dixon season 3, the pair were preparing to make their way back home to the US after arriving in Spain earlier in the season. But their European adventure - which also saw them travel to France and London - wasn't over yet as their escape plan from Solaz del Mar didn't work out, leaving them stranded for another year. And with that, sights now turn to their long-awaited returns in the upcoming fourth and final season.
Very little is known about Daryl Dixon's fourth and final season, but a recent teaser trailer did give fans a glimpse of what to expect from it. That includes actor Jimmy Smits joining the cast in the mysterious role of Captain Perkins - who could very well become a major presence in Daryl and Carol's next chapter.
Speaking of characters who have played a major role in Daryl and Carol's journey, there are rumors that Andrew Lincoln might make a surprise return as Rick Grimes. The original Walking Dead legend has confirmed that he is in discussions to return to the franchise (which he announced right as the fourth season of Daryl Dixon was filming) and fans have been longing to see Daryl and Carol discover that their longtime best friend - who they both thought perished in the walker-infested bridge explosion years ago - is alive and well. And with Rick returning to Alexandria alongside Michonne in their own spinoff series The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (while Daryl and Carol were in Europe), it would make sense that they make that discovery when they returned home from their travels.
There are also hopes that this could lead to that long-awaited Walking Dead reunion season, which would reunite the casts of the three spinoffs (Daryl Dixon, Dead City, and The Ones Who Live) for one last adventure before the franchise moves onto a brand new chapter - or simply ends altogether.
In the meantime, we can't wait to see Daryl and Carol back on our TV screens in 2027.
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