The audience of “The Walking Dead” has dwindled at pretty much the same rate it has been losing its various major cast members that were there when it began.
The show still pulls in some of the best numbers on TV, but its juggernaut days are over. AMC seemed to be wanting some of its original prestige back though with the announcement of a big screen spin-off film that would see Andrew Lincoln return to the role of Rick Grimes.
That project has been on and off in development for some time and looked finally set to go into production when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With a virtual Skybound Xpo panel taking place this weekend with some of the franchise’s key players involved, the question was asked about where things currently stand with the movie.
Skybound Entertainment co-founder David Alpert says (via CBM):
“We’re coming along in a big way. We’re just in this particular space where we have [to wait]. We can’t shoot right now, so that’s just the big thing holding us back. We are desperate to get back into production, and get everything going, but we have something really exciting, really unique, really different, and can’t wait to get it going. We just have to wait for it to be safe.”
The original comic’s author and TV series producer Robert Kirkman is also heavily involved in the project and promises they’re still working hard on continuing Rick’s story:
“There’s tons of stuff going on behind the scenes. I don’t want anyone to think that we’re just kind of waiting around for this pandemic to end. I would say that, if anything, the pandemic is going to make a lot of movies better. I think the Rick Grimes movie chief among them, just because we’re getting a lot more time to cook this thing and make sure it’s perfect. But when things do quiet down, you guys are going to hear a ton more about this movie.”
The original comic will return in October, with new full-color ‘Deluxe’ versions of the original run with two issues coming monthly (no plans for tradepaperback versions at present). Dave McCaig is serving as colorist of the series. These editions will also include Kirkman’s original handwritten plots with commentary discussing abandoned storylines and plot points changed during creation.
