The season 8 premiere of The Walking Dead will include lots of hidden Easter eggs that pay tribute to previous episodes, promises executive producer Greg Nicotero. The first episode of season 8, which also happens to be the show's 100th overall episode, will kick off what promises to be one of the series' most action-packed seasons as Rick's group engages in all-out war with Negan and the Saviors.

Recently, AMC released a commemorative video featuring cast members thanking fans for helping the show reach the 100-episode milestone. Another recent video recapped all the incredibly memorable happenings of the show's first 99 episodes, beginning with the series premiere way back in 2010 and climaxing with the shocking events of the season 7 finale earlier in 2017.

Walking Dead executive producer Greg Nicotero indicates that the tributes will keep rolling in on the show's season 8 premiere/100th overall episode, with some special Easter eggs that pay tribute to past seasons (via TV Guide). Nicotero said:

Bloody Rick Grimes holding a gun on The Walking Dead

"In multiple viewings you'll definitely pick up a few things that we put in there that harken back to earlier episodes."

The Walking Dead has included some amusing Easter eggs before, including frequent tributes to famous horror movies of the past like Creepshow, Jaws, Dawn of the Dead and An American Werewolf in London. This time around it sounds like the show will be paying tribute to itself instead of its horror film progenitors, but considering this is the series' 100th episode, you can perhaps forgive a little measure of self-indulgence.

In addition to some little bits of hidden self-homage, the Walking Dead season premiere is also expected to quickly address the Old Man Rick scene that was teased in the show's SDCC trailer. Some fans have speculated that the show is getting ready to execute a time-jump much like it did in the comics in the wake of the "all-out war" storyline, though that seemingly became less likely after Kirkman said the Old Man Rick scene would be addressed at the very beginning of the season.

Whatever happens in the premiere, season 8 will be a pivotal one for The Walking Dead, which saw its ratings take a dip throughout the course of an uneven season 7. After the controversy surrounding the brutally bloody and horrifying premiere of season 7, and some bad fan reaction to the long-anticipated character of Negan, the show could use a strong start on its way to a rebound season. AMC will air an hour-long preview of season 8 next month, giving fans a very thorough sneak peek at all the carnage to come.

Next: The Walking Dead: Michael Cudlitz Would Return For Abraham Flashbacks

The Walking Dead season 8 will premiere on Sunday, October 22 @9pm on AMC.

Source: TV Guide