The Walking Dead universe's frontman confirmed the franchise's expansion plans to The Direct, noting a slower rollout for future spin-offs than before.
While The Walking Dead only had one spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead, through most of its 11-season run, AMC succeeded the series with a plethora of shows that have sent the beloved cast around the world. The post-apocalyptic hit universe continued with Daryl and Carol's European adventures in Daryl Dixon, Maggie and Negan's New York saga in Dead City, and the next chapter in Rick and Michonne's story in a limited series, The Ones Who Live. Tales of the Walking Dead also expanded the world in a six-episode anthology series, which isn't expected to return for Season 2 at the time of writing.
The franchise's recent acceleration means that it has already released 14 seasons of TV in the 2020s, double the seven in its first six years.
The Direct exclusively spoke with The Walking Dead's Chief Content Officer (CCO) Scott M. Gimple at MultiCon 2026, where he clarified the franchise's exciting future amid concerns that its output may be winding down. Gimple revealed that there are "for sure" more projects in development, but the "urgency and the speed" at which they happen will be reduced to reflect the "different time" in Hollywood.
Despite having confirmed The Walking Dead's TV future, Gimple said he was "not sure" that fans can expect as many separate shows going forward, hinting that the "urgency and the speed" of development may dial down a notch:
"But will we see as many series? I'm not sure. You see it across Star Wars, you see it across Marvel. There's definitely going to be more series, both shorter things and ongoing things. But it'll probably be a bit... The rollout will be slightly slower. But more, definitely more. And there are cool things in the works. I had a lot of conversations, even this week, about that. But the urgency and the speed, like 'Get ot out, get it out, get it out.' ... It's just a different time, but that time does allow us to get it right."
The Walking Dead CCO hyped up the franchise's upcoming output, including the "gratifying" Dead City Season 3 and the "magnificent" Daryl Dixon Season 4:
The Direct: "Now, fans are a little worried, because ['Tales of the Walking Dead' is] in limbo, as it were... That we could be nearing the end of [The Walking Dead] franchise on television. What are your thoughts on that? And are there more projects besides that one in the works?"
Scott M. Gimple: Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah, first of all, 'Dead City' Season 3; I love how it was received. We had certain goals going into the season about the dynamics of those characters, how we see those characters, how we see those characters interact. People are digging it, and that's really gratifying. The next season, the last season of Daryl Dixon is out in 2027, and it's magnificent, and they're magnificent."
The Walking Dead universe is currently halfway through Dead City Season 3, which is set to wrap up in September as fans await news about Season 4. Meanwhile, Daryl Dixon will return for its fourth and final season in 2027, after AMC recently delayed it from 2026 for unclear reasons.
Season 4 will see Norman Reedus' Daryl Dixon and Melissa McBride's Carol searching for a way to leave Europe and cross the Atlantic to get home to the US. That will be a crucial step for The Walking Dead crossover series, which is reportedly in development and could reunite characters from across the spin-offs.
When asked if a Walking Dead crossover event is next up after Daryl Dixon and Dead City, Gimple hinted that they "have all sorts of plans in play." Furthermore, the architect of the post-apocalyptic saga solidified that it is "definitely not" the end of The Walking Dead on TV, and there is still much more to come:
The Direct: "And then it's the big crossover, right?"
Gimple: Well... I still dream of it, and I will say we have all sorts of plans in play. It's just... It's a different time. I do not think it's the end of 'The Walking Dead' on TV. No, that is definitely not happening. The Walking Dead is continuing to go. This is still, at the latest, the middle of Walking Dead's life. If not, we're still early in it.
The AMC franchise has been moving at breakneck speed in recent years, with as many as three seasons of The Walking Dead spin-offs released in a single year and five new shows launching in the 2020s. From the sounds of it, The Walking Dead will be cutting back on its output now that Daryl Dixon is wrapping up and Dead City likely isn't far behind, likely focusing on just one or two shows.
Interestingly, after shutting down hopes for a Walking Dead movie, Gimple previously told The Direct about his hopes and plans for "another 16-hour a year series" in the vein of the original series and Fear the Walking Dead. That would be a major departure from eight-hour-a-year shows like Dead City and Daryl Dixon, but it may be more achievable if the franchise is condensing its output.
