Maggie and Negan are getting their own The Walking Dead spin-off TV show which will be set in a zombie-infested New York City. Based on Robert Kirkman's graphic novels of the same name, AMC's post-apocalyptic drama series revolves around various groups of survivors attempting to survive in the midst of a zombie apocalypse as they must also contend with various hostile groups around them. Lauren Cohan stars in The Walking Dead as Maggie, the former leader of the Hilltop who is now defending a new group of people the Wardens, while Jeffrey Dean Morgan stars as Negan, the former leader of the villainous Saviors who has since formed a parental bond with Lydia, the daughter of the Whisperer leader Alpha.
Since its debut in 2010, The Walking Dead has become a major cultural landmark for AMC and cable TV in general, scoring rave reviews throughout the years and earning multiple Golden Globe nominations. Its viewership success has seen the show expand to a larger franchise including two spin-off shows Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond and is planning two more spinoffs and a trilogy of films centered on Andrew Lincoln's Rick in the wake of his apparent death. Now, it appears that AMC is building its Walking Dead universe up even further.
On the heels of the latest season 10 episode airing, AMC has announced a new The Walking Dead spin-off TV show led by Maggie and Negan. Entitled Isle of the Dead, the show hails from franchise vet Eli Jorné and will explore the two characters traveling to zombie-infested Manhattan and New York City. Lauren Cohan, who is also attached to executive produce with Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jorné, wrote the following statement.
“I’m delighted that Negan and Maggie’s journey continues. It’s been such a ride walking in Negan’s shoes, I’m beyond excited to continue his journey in New York City with Lauren. Walkers in an urban setting has always been such a cool image, but 5th Avenue, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty? The greatest city in the world?? The backdrop is amazing, but it’s the story that Eli Jorné cooked up that is even better. Buckle up folks, Isle of the Dead is going to reinvent the TWD Universe. Huge thank you to Dan McDermott, Scott Gimple and AMC for having us back for more… we simply can’t wait.”
The announcement of Maggie and Negan's Walking Dead spin-off show comes as season 11 of the hit series has seen the two forced to confront one another in the former's quest to reclaim her old village Meridian from the Reapers. Their journey has put them in frequent danger not just from the walkers and Reapers but also with each other as Negan suspected Maggie planned to kill him and elects to leave her in the midst of a horde of walkers in a subway tunnel. After later reuniting, the two have since become a good team, despite still conflicting over Negan having killed Glenn in season 7.
Interestingly, the last time Maggie and Negan were seen together in The Walking Dead saw the latter part ways as he recognizes the former will never forgive him for his actions, with a brief time jump also teasing a conflict between Maggie and her Hilltop community with Daryl as he leads Commonwealth soldiers. The announcement of the Isle of the Dead spin-off show doesn't indicate where in the mothership series' timeline it takes place, raising questions of how it will tie into the rest of the eleventh and final season of the hit drama. Only time will tell as The Walking Dead season 11 continues Sundays on AMC while Isle of the Dead is scheduled to premiere in 2023.