Another corner of The Walking Dead world should come into focus as development on The Walking Dead companion TV series has impressed AMC to the point where a pilot has been ordered.
Familiar faces are steering this new look at The Walking Dead world with Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert, the core team running The Walking Dead, serving as executive producers. Dave Erickson is also executive producing and will serve as showrunner.
Little is known about The Walking Dead companion TV series other than it will explore a corner of the world far removed from the woods of Georgia and is not based on any preexisting material like the original series is. Somewhere on the west coast would provide a nice contrast to the dense forests of The Walking Dead, though anything is fair game right now — including a crossover event down the road should the shows ever intersect.
AMC executives are reportedly extremely pleased with the pilot script and their reaction led to the formal order. Considering the immense popularity of The Walking Dead and how a similar spin-off, Better Call Saul, went straight from pilot to a minimum two-season commitment, the odds are heavily in favor of this companion series finding its way into TV next year.
“Almost from the beginning of The Walking Dead on AMC, fans have been curious about what is going on in the zombie apocalypse in other parts of the world,” AMC president Charlie Collier stated in the official announcement. “In fact, beyond requests for zombie cameos, it’s the question I get asked the most.”
“Obviously, we all take our stewardship of the original franchise incredibly seriously and we, along with Robert, Gale, David and now Dave, are all proceeding with extreme care in order to ensure that we are offering fans something truly compelling, engaging and distinct. We’re thrilled to be taking this next step with these remarkable partners.”
“There are many corners of The Walking Dead universe that remain unseen in the shadows,” Robert Kirkman added. “Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill. I know the fans are anxious to hear what Dave and I have been cooking up for this new universe of The Walking Dead, and I’m happy to be one step closer to sharing it with them.”
Production on The Walking Dead companion TV series is set to commence within the next couple months.
