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Official Trailer For Season 2 of ‘Invincible’ Debuts At NYCC
Preview
- ‘Invincible’ Season 2 official trailer unveiled during New York Comic Con
- Season 2 trailer teases multi-verse and dimension jumping
- Who are the new characters in season 2?
It’s been over two years since the season one finale of ‘Invincible’. Finally, the second season is just around the corner. The first four episodes will air on November 3rd, with four more episodes releasing in early 2024.

The animated sequel sees the return of Steven Yeun as Mark Grayson/Invincible, J.K. Simmons as Nolan/Omni-Man, Sandra Oh as Debbie, Gillian Jacobs as Atom Eve, Zazie Beets as Amber Bennett, Walton Goggins as Cecil, Jason Mantzoukas as Rex Splode, Khary Payton as Black Samson, Seth Rogen as Allen the Alien, and Ross Marquand as the Immortal.

Steven Yeun as the voice of Mark Grayson in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

The series, created by Robert Kirkman, premiered its first season on March 25, 2021. Before it was adapted into an animated series, ‘Invincible’ was a comic book series published by Image Comics.

The teaser trailer for season 2 was released on July 21, 2023, announcing the premiere date as well as returning and new voice talents. The official trailer was released during Prime Video’s panel at New York Comic Con.

Related Article: 35 Best Seth Rogen Movies of All Time!

What Is Season 2 of ‘Invincible’ About?

J.K. Simmons as the voice of Omni-Man in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Season 1 left us with Mark and his dad Omni-Man engaged in a brutal battle. The fight resulted in Omni-man fleeing Earth, and Mark Grayson was left clinging to life. Once Mark has healed in a special hospital. He and his mom Debbie went home to resume their lives, telling everyone that Nolan had passed away in an explosion.

In season 2, we’ll be introduced to new characters as Mark/Invincible faces new enemies, as well as his internal fear that he will turn out just like his father, “When I was a kid, I always wanted to be my dad.” says Mark in the trailer. “What if that happens?”

It seems like things will become quite devastating in this season. Toward the end of the trailer, a destroyed city sets the background as Mark appears on a large screen broadcasting a message to the people of Earth, “the more you resist, the worse this gets. And if you think you can stop us, don’t forget – I’m invincible.”

Brand New Threats

Kevin Michael Richardson as the voice of the Mauler Twins and (Center) Sterling K. Brown as the voice of Angstrom Levy in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

“For some, the pain will never fade.” The battle between Invincible and Omni-Man may be over for the time being, but as new threats arise while Mark tries to rebuild his life. One of the new villains this season is Angstrom Levy, voiced by Sterling K. Brown. Angstrom Levy is from the comics and has the ability to travel to other universes – so it looks like there’ll be some dimension-hopping this season.

Another character from the comics to be introduced in the upcoming season is the Shapesmith, and just as his name suggests, has the ability to shape-shift. He is a Martian and made his first appearance in Invincible issue #18 in 2004.

Shapesmith in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

New voice talents joining Sterling K. Brown include Peter Cullen, Rob Delaney, Calista Flockhart, Phil LaMarr, Luke MacFarlane, Tatiana Maslany, Scoot McNairy, Jay Pharoah, Ella Purnell, Tim Robinson, Ben Schwartz, Rhea Seehorn, Lea Thompson, Paul F. Tompkins, Shantel VanSanten, and more.

‘Invincible’ is created by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. Executive producers for the series are Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Catherine Winder, Simon Racioppa, Margaret M. Dean, Rogen and Evan Goldberg, with Helen Leigh and Walker as co-executive producers.

Steven Yeun as the voice of Mark Grayson in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

(L to R) Walton Goggins as the voice of Cecil Stedman and Steven Yeun as the voice of Mark Grayson in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Gillian Jacobs as the voice of Atom Eve in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Seth Rogen as the voice of Allen the Alien in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

(L to R) Ross Marquand as the voice of The Immortal, Jason Mantzoukas as the voice of Rex Splode, Zachary Quinto as the voice of Robot, Bulletproof, Melise as the voice of Dupli-Kate, and Grey Griffin as the voice of Shrinking Ray in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Steven Yeun as the voice of Mark Grayson in ‘Invincible’ Season 2. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Movies Similar to ‘Invincible’:
- ‘Superman‘ (1978)
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)
- ‘Superman Returns‘ (2006)
- ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (2012)
- ‘Man of Steel‘ (2013)
- ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)
- ‘Justice League‘ (2017)
- ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem‘ (2023)
Watch ‘Invincible’ on Amazon
October 17, 2023
Movie Review: ‘Renfield’
(L to R) Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula, and Nicholas Hoult as Renfield in director Chris McKay’s ‘Renfield.’

Opening in theaters on April 14th is the new comedy-horror film ‘Renfield,’ which is based on a story by Robert Kirkman (‘The Walking Dead’) and was directed by Chris McKay (‘The Lego Batman Movie,’ ‘The Tomorrow War’).

What is the plot of ‘Renfield?’

In ‘Renfield,’ Dracula’s (Nicolas Cage) lackey, R. M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), finds a new lease on life in modern-day New Orleans when he receives encouragement from a support group to finally stand up to his creator in hopes of breaking free of his servitude.

Meanwhile, a traffic cop named Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina) discovers that she is surrounded by corrupt cops as she tries to prove that mob boss Ella Lobo (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and her son Teddy (Ben Schwartz) murdered her father. Renfield and Rebecca soon meet and fall in love, but their relationship becomes complicated when Dracula awakes and starts working with the Lobo crime family. Now, Renfield must stand up against his master before he takes over the world, and help Rebecca bring her father’s killers to justice.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Renfield?’

‘Renfield’ stars Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage (‘Face/Off,’ ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’) as Dracula, Nicholas Hoult (‘The Menu’) as R. M. Renfield, Awkwafina (‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’) as Rebecca Quincy, Adrian Martinez (‘Focus’) as Chris Marcos, Ben Schwartz (‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’) as Teddy Lobo, and Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (‘House of Sand and Fog’) as Ella Lobo.

Initial Thought

‘Renfield’ is an absolutely entertaining movie, which is both very funny and also very scary, as was intended. Director Chris McKay balances the movie’s two distinct tones very well, while Nicholas Hoult’s strong performance anchors the film. But its Nicolas Cage’s spot-on and over-the-top performance as Dracula that really makes the humor and the horror work so well together.

Nicolas Cage as Dracula in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Story and Direction

While the story was created by ‘The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman, who knows a thing or two about the horror genre, the screenplay was written by Ryan Ridley, who does a great job creating a new way to tell the Dracula story. Although the character of R. M. Renfield has appeared in several other Dracula movies, this is the first time we’ve seen the classic Vampire character through the lens of his servant, which feels fresh and exciting. Ridley also balances the comedy and the horror well in the script, allowing director Chris McKay to navigate both tones throughout the movie.

In fact, ‘Renfield’ may be the best example of a true horror/comedy since director Sam Raimi’s classic ‘Evil Dead II.’ I’m not a big fan of horror by itself, but when done right and mixed with another genre, it can really work to create something new, as it does here. But it’s the well-written character-driven moments that really elevate the film, especially those between Renfield and Dracula, which seems more like a long marriage than a boss/employee relationship.

McKay began his career in animation and directed the brilliant ‘The Lego Batman Movie,’ before moving on to live-action with the Prime Video movie ‘The Tomorrow War.’ With ‘Renfield,’ McKay proves that he can handle live-action as well as animation, and create a thoughtful and entertaining genre movie with a big name star like Nicolas Cage, while still balancing the film’s distinct tones. McKay also includes some excellent action sequences that are really well shot and choreographed, and add to the excitement of the film.

(L to R) Nicholas Hoult and Joseph Mikel in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Related Article: Justin Kurzel Casts Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in True Crime Pic ‘The Order’

What are Renfield’s Powers?

Renfield has similar powers to Dracula, including super-strength and the ability to move very quickly, but he does not receive them from drinking human blood, instead he gains his strength from eating insects. In the movie, the character carries around a little box of bugs that he can eat when in danger, which allows him to use his powers for a short amount of time.

(L to R) Benjamin. Schwartz and Nicholas Hoult in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay.
© 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Nicholas Hoult’s Performance

Nicholas Hoult’s performance as R.M. Renfield is both the anchor and the heart of the movie. We see all the other characters and events through his eyes, and in many ways he is at the emotional core of the film. From the opening frame, Renfield wants to better himself and get out from under Dracula’s clutches, which is why he enrolls in a support group. His relationship with Rebecca is also a motivating force in his desire to change. Through that relationship and Renfield’s actions, we get to see another side of the character, thanks to Hoult’s emotional performance.

Hoult is an excellent actor but is often cast in secondary roles that do not showcase his talents as well as they could, like his role in ‘The Menu,’ for example. But in ‘Renfield’ Hoult is front and center and practically carries the movie’s emotion and narrative on his back. Hoult is wonderful in the role, funny, strange, emotional, and even scary at times, while also authentically performing the action sequences. The actor has great chemistry opposite Cage, and gives one of the best performances of his career so far.

Nicolas Cage as Dracula in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Nicolas Cage is Dracula!

Nicholas Cage was uniquely qualified to portray Dracula, and I can’t think of any other actor that could bring the same level of gravitas and outrageous humor to the role. It’s perfect casting! Cage accesses his own strange public persona to play Dracula, while also channeling both the legendary Bela Lugosi (who played the famous vampire many times) and even a little bit of Elvis Presley to create the odd character.

But creating odd characters is Nicolas Cage’s bread and butter, and the actor does it again here, really “sinking his teeth” into the over-the-top performance and creating something completely different and captivating. You can tell Cage is having fun in every moment and is completely commanding in the role. He also has great onscreen chemistry with both Hoult, and actress Shohreh Aghdashloo.

Awkwafina as Rebecca in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Why Awkwafina’s Character Doesn’t Work

I’ve always liked actress and comedian Awkwafina’s work, but she was miscast as Rebecca. The actress is just not believable as the only New Orleans police officer that is not corrupt. Obviously, she is a very funny actress and has worked well in comedic roles in movies like ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and ‘Raya and the Last Dragon.’ But she is also an impressive dramatic actress and was nominated for an Oscar for her work in ‘The Farewell.’

However, in ‘Renfield’ the actress is asked to do both comedy and drama at the same time, and it just doesn’t work. For example, after having a fight with her sister over finding their father’s killer, an obviously dramatic scene, the actress does a funny walk for comedic effect. It makes the scene unintentionally humorous and it doesn’t fit the tone of the rest of the film. The actress makes her scenes with Hoult and their character’s relationship believable, but seems lost throughout the rest of movie.

Benjamin Shwartz as Henry in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The Lobo Family

Ben Schwartz is often cast in comedic roles, and to be honest, his brand of humor usually doesn’t work for me. But in ‘Renfield,’ the actor is perfectly cast as Teddy Lobo, a spoiled mama’s boy who desperately wants to be respected by his mafia family. Schwartz’s particular brand of self-deprecating humor lends itself well to Teddy’s whiney persona and the actor has some very funny moments with both Hoult and particularly Cage.

And while her role is small, Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo is great as Teddy’s mom, mob boss Ella Lobo. The actress accesses the correct amount of gravitas and humor for the part, and has some very funny scenes with Cage and Schwartz. In fact, the idea that Dracula would wake up in 2023 and align himself with the mafia is already comedy gold, and the film explores that idea well.

(L to R) Nicolas Cage and Shohreh Aghdashloo in ‘Renfield,’ directed by Chris McKay. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Final Thoughts

In the end, ‘Renfield’ is a surprisingly entertaining movie that is as funny as it is scary. Director Chris McKay crafts an enjoyable romp, while Nicholas Hoult brings R.M. Renfield to life, and Nicolas Cage takes a big bite out of Dracula.

‘Renfield’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula in director Chris McKay’s ‘Renfield.’

Other Movies Similar to ‘Renfield:’
- ‘Dracula‘ (1931)
- ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula‘ (1992)
- ‘Interview with the Vampire‘ (1994)
- ‘Dracula Untold‘ (2014)
- ‘Morbius‘ (2022)
Buy Tickets: ‘Renfield’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Nicolas Cage Movies on Amazon

‘Renfield’ is produced by Universal Pictures, and Skybound Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on April 14th, 2023.
April 12, 2023
‘Walking Dead’ Creator on Andrew Lincoln Exit: ‘He Wants to Do Something Special on the Way Out’

AMC

“The Walking Dead” cast and producers will be at Comic-Con today for the official Season 9 trailer and premiere date. (There’s already a Comic-Con teaser, see below.)

Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) will be on the panel, presumably to address in some way all of the chatter about his exit. Lauren Cohan (Maggie Greene Rhee) is meant to be leaving after just a few episodes of Season 9, too, but Rick Grimes has been our zombie apocalypse tour guide since he got out of that coma in Season 1.

What is the show without Rick?

In an interview for IMDb, Kevin Smith talked to comic book writer/executive producer Robert Kirkman about Andrew Lincoln leaving.

“It’s looking that way,” Kirkman said, with a little chuckle. He’s notorious for trolling, but his further comments to Smith do make it pretty clear that Lincoln is really exiting the show.

Smith asked how Lincoln leaving affects him as the writer of the ongoing comic book series, where Rick Grimes is still lead character (along with Carl Grimes). Here’s Kirkman’s response:

“It does make the differences between the comic and the show more pronounced. But at the end of the day, it’s all about Andrew Lincoln. This is a human being. This is someone I have known for almost a decade, somebody that I love. He’s been sweating in Georgia, away from his family, for so long.”

Here’s the part that most sounds like confirmation that Lincoln is leaving:

“He cares about the fans. He cares about the show deeply. He wants to do something special on the way out. We have something amazing planned. I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, but anybody who has been a fan of his journey, who loves Rick Grimes, who loves the world of The Walking Dead, you’re going to want to see what we do.”

So now they’re using Rick’s departure — death or otherwise — as a tease to try to get people to watch the show again. A lot of fans have given up along the way, leading to a massive ratings drop.

Here’s Kirkman’s interview:

The late afternoon (Friday, July 20) Comic-Con panel will feature this lineup, along with the full trailer:

Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, along with executive producers Angela Kang, Scott M. Gimple, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, and Greg Nicotero. The panel will be moderated by Yvette Nicole Brown.

Here’s the trailer tease:

And here’s the key art AMC already shared, showing new looks for Rick and Maggie after the coming time jump:

AMC

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July 20, 2018
‘The Walking Dead’ Producers Sue AMC Over Profits

The creator and three producers of “The Walking Dead” have filed a lawsuit against AMC Networks, seeking a greater share of the profits from the show and its spinoffs.

Co-creator Robert Kirkman (who penned the comics), Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, and former showrunner Glen Mazzara are claiming that AMC is keeping a “lion’s share” of the profits from the show, spinoff “Fear the Walking Dead,” and after-show “Talking Dead.”

Typically, a network pays a studio a licensing fee to air a show, and producers’ cut of the profits is based on that fee. For instance, “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” were produced, respectively, by the studios Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Television.

Because “The Walking Dead” is produced in-house, AMC can pay a low or non-existent license fee to itself. The producers are alleging that AMC is not paying a fair-market fee, in turn lowering their share of the profits.

AMC slammed the lawsuit as “opportunistic,” though the network also took care to express “enormous respect and appreciation” for the producers.

Still, this sets up a contentious situation between the show’s creative team and the network just ahead of the eighth season. It’s also not the only lawsuit AMC is grappling with over “Walking Dead.” Co-creator and original showrunner Frank Darabont, who was fired in Season 2, also sued AMC over his financial share.

August 15, 2017
‘The Walking Dead’ Creator Robert Kirkman Is Leaving AMC for Amazon

This has to bite for AMC.

In what “The Walking Dead” comic book creator and TV series executive producer Robert Kirkman and his entertainment company Skybound Entertainment are exiting their overall deal with AMC “in favor of what is said to be a sizable two-year overall deal with Amazon Studios.” (Kirkman has been working with AMC since TWD premiered in 2010. AMC had signed Kirkman to “a rich, multiyear deal” in 2015.)

That doesn’t mean “The Walking Dead” or “Fear the Walking Dead,” which Kirkman co-created, are moving from AMC to Amazon. They are staying put. But it does mean that Kirkman will be developing future projects exclusively for Amazon Prime Video, which will have a first-look deal with Skybound Entertainment.

In a statement, Kirkman referenced Sharon Tal Yguado, Amazon’s new head of event series, who focuses on genre work like sci-fi, action, fantasy and horror. As THR noted, she was the head of Fox International Channels, and supervised the rollout of “The Walking Dead” and developed Kirkman’s “Outcast” comic for TV before it was published. So this Amazon move marks a reunion for Tal Yguado, Kirkman, and his Skybound partner, fellow TWD exec producer David Alpert.

Robert Kirkman: “At Skybound Entertainment we strive to tell the best stories in the most unique and creative ways in an effort to always break new ground. A forward-thinking company like Amazon is the perfect home for us. Their new foray into genre fiction has us at peak optimism for what can be accomplished during this unprecedented partnership. Sharon Tal Yguado has been an instrumental force in the success of Walking Dead and Outcast from Day 1. Being able to not only continue that relationship, but also expand it into new territory with the vast resources of Amazon, means great things are ahead for myself, David Alpert, Skybound and fans of awesome entertainment. Look out world, here we come!”

We look forward to seeing that Kirkman, Alpert, and Skybound produce for Amazon. Meanwhile, “The Walking Dead” franchise is still chugging along at AMC, with Season 8 of the flagship show premiering Sunday, Oct. 22.

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August 11, 2017
‘Walking Dead’ Season 8: Robert Kirkman Reveals More Time Jump Details

The Walking Dead” — in more ways than one.

After an appearance at AMC’s panel during the Television Critics Association’s fall TV season press tour, Kirkman — the co-creator of the comic book series that inspired the television sensation, which he also executive produces — huddled with reporters to add some extra dimension to the fan-wowing Season 8 trailer that debuted at Comic-Con — including a still-cryptic nod to the apparent time-jump that featured a bearded, increasingly white-haired, cane-needing Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).

On the big picture on the upcoming season:

Robert Kirkman: It’s a little early, but we all know it’s the all-out war story. So, in Season 8, we’re trying to do a more fast-paced season, a more action packed season, really focusing on momentum and we feel like over the first seven seasons we kind of set all of the characters into place and now it’s kind of time to break them, to a certain extent.

On the surprising similarities between Rick and Negan:

We used to talk about how the Governor and Rick are two sides of the same coin, and I think Negan is probably a better illustration of that just because, or as Rick has advanced, Negan has advanced in the same way.

They’re both very capable leaders, and they both have very strict world views and strict ideas about how it is they’re going to keep their people safe. It’s just that Negan has kind of shifted in a certain direction and gone down a dark path, but I think they are in their own way two people who are devoted to the people they feel are under their protection and under their leadership.

[Negan brutally punishes his own allies] to keep the other people in line. It’s a very psychotic mindset but I think that Negan does truly believe that by doing that he’s keeping people in line and keeping people protected.

On Daryl’s lingering guilt that he may be responsible for Glen’s death:

That will be a plotline for Daryl at some point in the next season. It’s something that will be addressed.

On keeping the audience engaged going forward:

I think it’s been all about an expanding scale for the last two season, and it’s really hit its pinnacle this season. We’ve got all these different factions, all these different locations — we’ve got the Hilltop, we have the Sanctuary — and I think getting all these people together and kind of continuing to expand the scale in a cool way, but really using all these pieces to their fullest. We’ve spent a lot of time setting these characters up and now we’re going to bash them against each other and see what happens.

But one of the things that really keeps “The Walking Dead” going is that every season feels like a different show and as we start to show more promotional material and you guys get to see episodes, you’ll see this is another continuation of that. This is a very fresh take on the world of “The Walking Dead” and we’re going to be breaking a lot of new ground this season.

On the storytelling time jump hinted at in the recent Comic-Con trailer:

That is an intriguing tidbit that we did throw out there on purpose, and we’re hoping that people continue to question how that fits into the storyline and what it is. Comic book fans know where a scene that kind of looked like that would fall, but it also doesn’t seem like we would be getting to that just yet if you were a comic book fan, so there is a mystery to that. You’ll just have to see.

Don’t quote me on this, but I’m pretty sure you’ll learn in the first episode what that image means. [Laughs] You’re going to quote me on that!

July 31, 2017
‘The Walking Dead’ Season 8 Premiere Will Explain Old Man Rick Look

“The Walking Dead” fans did exactly what The Powers That Be wanted after watching the Season 8 trailer: Question what’s going on with old Rick Grimes. We have our theories, based on Robert Kirkman‘s comic book, and Kirman himself said we’ll know what the Rick image means right in the Season 8 premiere.

Kirkman talked about the Old Man Rick (in bed, with a cane close by) trailer shot after the AMC panel at the Television Critics Association press tour. Kirkman was asked about the time jump, and immediately started trolling:

“Or was it the time jump? I don’t know, maybe it was Rick waking up from his coma. Wouldn’t that be weird?”

Sigh.

“[Showrunner] Scott Gimple will give me very harsh words if I were to comment on that in any way, but you’re supposed to be talking about that, and that is an intriguing tidbit that we did throw out there on purpose. We’re hoping that people continue to question how that fits into the storyline and what it is. Comic book fans know where a scene that kind of looked like that would fall, but it also doesn’t seem like we would be getting to that just yet. You’ll just have to see.”

According to EW, when asked if viewers will learn more this season about what the Rick image means, Kirkman replied:

“I’m pretty sure you’ll learn in the first episode what that means.”

Kirkman is rarely so forthcoming, so there are probably more twists and confusion ahead. Is it a flash-forward that will be straightforward in itself, or leave fans with more questions? Will it be tied to the comic book storyline everyone expects (but expects later, like maybe in Season 9) or was that a red herring?

TWD premieres Sunday, October 22 at 9 p.m. on AMC. FYI, the Season 8 premiere is also the series’s 100th episode, so it’s meant to be a humdinger.

[Via: Deadline, EW]

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July 31, 2017
‘The Walking Dead’ Creator Prints Apology After Killing Another Major Character

“The Walking Dead” creator/writer/executive producer Robert Kirkman has taken the rare step of printing an apology letter after killing off an original character.

“Walking Dead” comic book Issue 167 just came out on May 3 and in it — LAST CHANCE FOR A SPOILER ALERT — we see the death of Andrea. She was bitten after saving Eugene from walkers. The people of Alexandria say their goodbyes to Andrea, and Rick Grimes — her love interest in the comic — gets emotional and struggles to put her down after she turns. He ultimately stabs her in the head, then takes comfort with son Carl and the rest of the community.

The Andrea of the comic has been around since Issue 2, and it’s a shock to see her gone. The Andrea of the TV show died back in Season 3, but Michonne took on most of her comic book storyline, including as Rick’s love interest. Some fans are worried that killing comic book Andrea bodes ill for TV show Michonne, but the TV show often “remixes” comic book deaths. There’s no saying Michonne will meet the same fate, and we certainly hope she doesn’t.

Kirkman has killed plenty of characters before — including Glenn in a similar way to how Glenn was killed on the TV show (but as the first and only lineup victim, not the second) — but he doesn’t usually write apology letters. But here’s what he wrote on an entire page at the end of the comic:

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry to my fans and to myself and to Andrea. I feel like I killed a close friend. The deaths in this series are never taken lightly, they’re never done with a sense of glee.

They weigh on me the same way they weigh on you. These characters are very real to me, and their deaths are upsetting even to me.

I had plenty of time to change my mind. I had plenty of time to just not do it. I am in control of this story after all. But honestly, sometimes it feels like I’m not.

This was one of those times. I don’t like this. I don’t want this. I want Andrea to live. I want to write more stories with her. I want to see her and Rick grow old together, watching Carl grow up and have kids of his own.

I want that kind of happiness for these characters.”

So why did you kill her?! Why did she have to die? RIP, Andrea. If you want to follow along to see what happens next, Issue 168 will be out June 7. “The Walking Dead” TV show is still way behind in terms of covering the comic book storyline, only on the cusp of Issue 115, the start of All out War. Season 8 premieres October on AMC.

[via Konbini]

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May 5, 2017
‘The Walking Dead’ Creator Originally Planned for Negan to Be Dead by Now

Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) almost had a free ticket to Easy Street, with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) long gone by the time “The Walking Dead” Season 8 rolls around.

Negan was introduced in “The Walking Dead” Season 6 finale, and declared war in “The Walking Dead” Season 7 finale. He’ll definitely be around in Season 8, and may continue on from there. But that was not the original plan.

Robert Kirkman, who writes the ongoing comic book series and executive produces the AMC show, revealed that he originally planned to kill off the latest Big Bad after just nine issues of the comic book.

Negan makes his first appearance in TWD Issue 100, when he holds his big lineup and kills Glenn. In the Letter Hacks section of the recent TWD Issue 166, Kirkman revealed that he had planned to kill Negan in Issue 108. Instead, Negan kept going, and Issue 108 just introduces King Ezekiel and reveals Dwight’s plan to double-cross Negan.

Here’s more from Kirkman’s Letter Hacks response to a fan asking about the initial idea for Negan (via Comicbook.com):

“Dwight double-crossing Negan during All Out War sort of grew organically as I wrote, and was not planned from the beginning. Negan was originally going to die in issue 108, so he’d have been in the book for… nine issues only. But I liked the character so much I just kept coming up with more for him to do.

“I know fans seem to want to know things are planned out from the beginning because that makes things seem more well-written. It’s hardly ever the case. Vince Gilligan has done writers a huge service by constantly talking about how Breaking Bad was a series of them setting up crazy future sequences, and then figuring out how to get to those moments.

I plan a lot on Walking Dead, I always know where I’m going… but having the freedom to change your mind and alter stories you have planned, honestly… it just makes things better. I’m certainly not just making the story u as I go along… but the times where writing gets dangerous and new and you have to figure out in the moment how to make it…. well, that’s when writing is the most fun and rewarding, and I feel, more often than not, it makes the stories better.”

How would Negan have died, back in the original Issue 108? Kirkman doesn’t say. Maybe Dwight would’ve killed him, or someone else. (Sherry? That might’ve been cool.) What would the next big storyline have been, if Negan was already gone so soon, and there was no All Out War? Would Kirkman have skipped right on to The Whisperers? Maybe he’ll address this alternate universe in a future Letter Hacks issue.

“The Walking Dead” Season 8 premieres in October.

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April 14, 2017
Will ‘The Walking Dead’ Have a Multi-Year Time Jump After Season 8?

“The Walking Dead” has done small time jumps before, but nothing on the level of what they could do in the next year if they follow the comic book.

*MINOR COMIC BOOK SPOILERS AHEAD*

“The Walking Dead” Season 7 just ended with a declaration of All Out War. That is definitely in the comic book, although the TV show changed a lot of details, as usual. There’s always a “remix” on TV changing the story a bit, but the big picture items tend to stick. What about the major multi-year time jump in the comics, after All Out War ends?

The Hollywood Reporter talked to showrunner Scott M. Gimple and comic book writer/exec producer Robert Kirkman, and it sounds like the plan may be for the TV show to fill in the gaps of Kirkman’s story — showing some of the stuff he skipped over with the two-year time jump. There may still be a smaller time jump, but Gimple seems interested in following at least some of what happened off-page, rather than having fans just catch up to a vastly changed world all at once. (If that’s the case, hopefully it doesn’t slow down the show’s narrative. That is the last thing TWD can afford.)

Here’s what Gimple said about the time jump idea, when asked by THR:

“For the people who read the comics, they’re going to be expecting this. We’re doing the book, we do all sorts of variations on it, and then we do things that are inspired by it and then we change things up with a remix. But I will say there are things that happen in that time jump that are referred to that are super interesting. And thus we might see some of that stuff; it might not be the same sort of jump, or we’ll do that two to five years in real time.

I’ve had a general plan for a long time, and invariably when I do that, there are little things that catch and change that plan. But in general, I think there’s going to be a little bit more content that Robert actually refers to. There’s stuff in there that I was reading that I wondered about, and when I wonder about stuff that I like, I like getting into that stuff [on the show]. We’re definitely going to honor it and do it, but we’re definitely going to have either more of it or possibly do it in a different way.”

Kirkman said he and Gimple talk all the time about what they want to cover and how, “because there’s a tremendous amount of budget involved and strategic planning on how to keep the show going. We need to know these things and being able to know these things years in advance is what helps us make this show possible. So we’ve discussed everything.”

If they’ve discussed everything, and need to know years in advance, then these answers are not really speculation, they are hints to what has already been set in stone. The outline for Season 8 must already be complete; usually, TWD starts filming its 16-episode seasons at the start of May, so pre-production must be gearing up in Atlanta for Round 8.

So they know what they’re going to do, but it is not clear if they plan to finish up All Out War in Season 8. It could take all season. It could take more than a season. It could take less than a season, and they could use the rest of the episodes to tell some of those stories skipped in the comic book’s time jump. And then … Magna and The Whisperers, right? Season 9?

“The Walking Dead” Season 8 will arrive in October.

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April 6, 2017