Norman Reedus is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood today, thanks in no small part to his success as Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead. The character has become a universally-beloved phenomenon, which is even more impressive considering that Daryl wasn't a part of the Robert Kirkman comic series upon which the AMC series was adapted from. The role was Reedus' creation through and through, so it's no surprise that he eventually became the lead of the series and got his own spinoff after its conclusion.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is one of the few remaining remnants of the TWD Universe so it's always a delight to see Reedus gruff-but-affectionate hero - along with Melissa McBride's equally-beloved Carol Peletier - on our screens. And the pair's adventures around Europe in the spinoff series have ensured that they remaind a part of the TWD Family fandom's lives for a long time after the end of The Walking Dead. But the show is coming to an end in 2027, and Reedus has officially bid farewell to the character... for now.
Norman Reedus cuts signature Daryl Dixon hair after 15 years
Norman Reedus has been spotted out and about in Paris sporting a brand new look. That's right, the Daryl Dixon star was snapped in a photograph with a fan, revealing a brand new haircut. Yes, Daryl Dixon's signature long hair is gone, leaving Norman with a look not too dissimilar to Daryl in the very early seasons of The Walking Dead. And needless to say, fans are feeling all the emotions.
While Reedus certainly rocks the new look - this is Norman Reedus we're talking about here, he always looks badass! - it's quite significant that Daryl Dixon's signature long hair is no more. The look is so iconic that Reedus has sported the long hair since Daryl first grew it our around season 3 of the original show; he then maintained that look in between the seasons of the original series and the four seasons of the spinoff. That also extended to the other roles he played, with Daryl's iconic hair still being with him when he starred in John Wick spinoff Ballerina and it even appears in the Death Stranding video game series.
Fans have understandably taken the haircut as the end of a chapter in Reedus' career - and the beginning of a new one. The star recently bid adieu to The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon with an emotional Instagram post that confirmed the fourth and final season would feature some of the character's biggest moments yet. Some even took it as a confirmation that it would mark the end of the Daryl Dixon character's time in the TWD Universe. And, shortly after that, he joined the cast of Apple TV's thriller series Disavowed - marking his first post-Daryl Dixon role.
Daryl could still return in the TWD Universe's future
The good news is that, despite the significance of shedding the Daryl Dixon look, it's highly unlikely to be the last time that Reedus plays the character. In fact, according to AMC Studios President Dan McDermott, he's in active talks to return to the franchise in the future, as the AMC boss told The Ankler:
"We adore Norman and the Daryl Dixon character — he’s clearly a fan favorite and people show up for him wherever he is. We are in active discussions with him right now about what we should and can do for the next iteration of a story in the Walking Dead Universe for Daryl Dixon."
With that in mind, it's quite possible - and highly likely - that Reedus' newest look is simply a way of marking The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon's conclusion and the beginning of his Disavowed era. It doesn't mean that we have outright seen the last of the Daryl Dixon character - just his show. And honestly, that has very much been the direction that all official commentary regarding the upcoming end of the TWD spinoff's run has been going in.
While Daryl Dixon season 4 will mark the end of that particular show, the franchise will live on in other ways. Fellow spinoff Dead City is holding out hope for a fourth season (the creative team certainly have plans) while AMC's Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, has been upfront about hopes to make more shows set within this franchise, including that long-rumored, long-awaited crossover / reunion spinoff that would effectively bring the main characters of The Walking Dead back together one more time. Obviously, Daryl Dixon would be required for that one.
It goes without saying that Reedus rocks the new look and we can't wait to see where his career takes him next. We just hope that one day it will take him back to the TWD Universe, which he very much became the face of after Andrew Lincoln's departure as Rick Grimes. In the meantime, we will all eagerly anticipate the fourth and final season of Daryl Dixon - and all of the adventures that await within it!
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 4 airs and streams on AMC and AMC+ in 2027.
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