New details about Daryl Dixon's The Walking Dead spinoff have been revealed, including its brand-new setting. The zombie horror series The Walking Dead first premiered on AMC in October 2010, and has since gone on to become a cultural phenomenon. The series will enter the last portion of its final season on October 2, with the series finale scheduled for November 20. However, this doesn't spell the end for the franchise, as there are currently two Walking Dead spinoff shows airing on AMC, and four others in the works. The most recent spinoff, Tales of the Walking Dead, will debut on August 14.
In September 2020, it was announced that fan-favorite characters Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) were set to have a Walking Dead spinoff series of their own, with the original air date being sometime in 2023. The spinoff was slated to take place and be filmed in Europe. However, in April of 2022, McBride left the project, explaining that it wasn't logistically possible for her to film an entire series overseas. Though McBride's departure, and thus the loss of Carol in the series, incited backlash from some Walking Dead fans, it was announced that the spinoff would be re-worked to solely focus on Daryl. The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang was originally set to run the series, but was replaced by David Zabel in April.
During the Talking Dead: The Walking Dead Universe Preview 2022 TV special (via ComicBook), previous Walking Dead showrunner Scott M. Gimple announced key details for the upcoming Daryl spinoff. Gimple revealed that the show will take place in France, a country which is going through a very different kind of apocalypse than the one in the United States. Gimple also said that there will be a connection in the spinoff to the Variant walkers introduced in The Walking Dead: World Beyond. Read Gimple's full comment below:
"Daryl is a fish out of water to start with. If Daryl finds himself with new people, he's a fish out of water. In France, in a country that's going through the apocalypse, [it's] an entirely different thing... He finds himself having to reinvent himself again, having to find himself again, and also, not being with — probably — the only people in the world he's comfortable with."
Though McBride will no longer be a main character in the untitled Daryl spinoff, there are signs that she could return to the Walking Dead franchise in the future. At The Walking Dead's San Diego Comic-Con panel, Reedus reassured fans that "Carol and Daryl's story isn't over yet," leading some fans to wonder if Carol may still make occasional appearances in the spinoff without being a main character. However, France is a long way from America, and her role in Daryl's show could depend on where she ends the flagship show. With Daryl being forced to reinvent himself amongst his new surroundings, it might be nice for him to see a familiar face if the opportunity arises.
With Tales of the Walking Dead premiering this month, and the Negan-and-Maggie-led Isle of the Dead currently in production, fans may have to wait some time before the currently untitled Daryl Dixon spinoff begins production. However, with the series taking place in France - a far cry from every other Walking Dead series, which have all thus far taken place in America - fans can look forward to something completely unique and never-before-seen in The Walking Dead franchise. Daryl's series can really push the boundaries of this world and offer something new, which should be a relief after spending several years following the same stories.
The Walking Dead season 11 returns to on AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, October 2.
Source: ComicBook