James R | On 10, Mar 2015

AMC’s spin-off series from The Walking Dead will have two seasons.

The broadcaster announced yesterday that it has ordered not one but two seasons of its companion show.

Much like AMC’s flagship programme, the new show will premiere with a first season of six one-hour episodes. They will arrive late summer in the US. The second season will then air in 2016.

AMC will be hoping for more similarities than just that, though: The Walking Dead has remained the top rated show on US TV among adults 18-49 for going on three seasons. Indeed, it has amassed a strong line-up of talent behind the camera. Creator Robert Kirkman is on board as executive producer, alongside series stalwarts Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert. Kirkman has co-written the first episode with Sons of Anarchy’s Dave Erickson, who is both Executive Producer and Showrunner.

The series will star Cliff Curtis (Missing, Gang Related), Kim Dickens (Gone Girl, Sons of Anarchy), Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Alycia Debnam Carey (Into the Storm).

The series does not yet have a title but “will be set in Los Angeles and focus on new characters and storylines”.

Charlie Collier, AMC president, suggests that it could be a prequel to the existing series: “From the beginning of The Walking Dead on AMC, we’ve been asked questions about what was going on in other parts of the zombie apocalypse, and what it looked like as the world really did ‘turn.’ Through this new series, we’re going to find out.”

“Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson and their writing team, along with an incomparable set of producers, cast and crew have created something remarkable and clearly distinct,” he adds. “We respectfully follow the request of Monty Python as we bring out (the latest of) our Dead.”

The vote of confidence follows a similar move with AMC’s prequel to another flagship show, Breaking Bad. With Vince Gilligan’s first season of Better Call Saul enjoying a positive reception – and already set for a second run – this new announcement will reassure fans of The Walking Dead, as well as its creators.

Kirkman said they felt “empowered” by the two-season commitment.

“I personally take it as a sign that they believe, like we do, that we’ve accomplished our goal of developing something original that can pay tribute to the original show and expand the world I created while at the same time having something new to say with this story. I’m very grateful that we now have the opportunity to tell this amazing story and show the fans that we really haven’t scratched the surface yet when it comes to The Walking Dead.”

In addition, AMC Global, the international AMC-branded television network, announced it has acquired the international television rights to the series, which it plans to air within 24 hours of the US premiere. AMC Global launched in late 2014 and is available in over 115 countries and territories throughout Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

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