The Walking Dead: World Beyond may have revealed the main antagonist for Rick Grimes' upcoming movie. Love or hate The Walking Dead, there's certainly plenty of it. Aside from the trio of TV shows currently airing (The Walking DeadFear The Walking DeadWalking Dead: World Beyond), AMC has a range of spinoffs in the post-apocalyptic pipeline, including a comedy, an anthology, and a sequel series starring Norman Reedus' Daryl Dixon and Melissa McBride's Carol Peletier. On the big screen, Andrew Lincoln will return in a feature-length The Walking Dead movie... eventually.

Currently in production, The Walking Dead's cinematic debut is moving forward with the speed of a zombie whose last remaining limb just dropped off. According to those involved, the return of Rick Grimes is taking a while because AMC wants to ensure a step-up in visuals and scale compared to the Walking Dead's small screen output. With story details so thin on the ground, it's impossible to say who Rick Grimes may come up against, but The Walking Dead: World Beyond might've dropped a Major clue.

Related: Andrew Lincoln's Unused Ending Concept For The Walking Dead Is Perfect

AMC's The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 begins with Hope Bennett taken semi-willingly by the CRM (Civic Republic Military). The military arm of the 200,000-strong Civic Republic settlement, the CRM are, by all accounts, overarching antagonists of the entire Walking Dead franchise, appearing in all 3 TV shows. And as more details regarding the CRM come to light, a potential villain for Rick Grimes shuffles into view - Major General Beale

Major General Beale - CRM's Walking Dead Leadership Structure Explained

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The Walking Dead franchise has featured a whole bunch of folks associated with the CRM. There's Jadis in the main show and Isabelle in Fear The Walking Dead, while World Beyond showcases a procession of soldiers and scientists on the Civic Republic's payroll. The highest ranking CRM character thus far, however, is Julia Ormond's Elizabeth Kublek, who occupies the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The main antagonist of Walking Dead: World Beyond, Elizabeth oversees the destruction of both Campus Colony and Omaha, and apparently has free reign to recruit/execute CRM members as she sees fit. Elizabeth is, to all intents and purposes, the leader of the CRM as far as Walking Dead: World Beyond's narrative is concerned.

However, Elizabeth isn't where the CRM buck stops. Back in Walking Dead: World Beyond season 1, Elizabeth referenced "Major General Beale." Using US military structure as a rough guideline, Major General is several ranks higher than Lieutenant Colonel, which makes Beale a pretty big deal. When Walking Dead: World Beyond first mentioned the character, it wasn't clear whether Major General Beale actually knew Elizabeth had turned Campus Colony into something resembling its frat party days. He could've been totally ignorant to the CRM's evil side, with Elizabeth the true mastermind despite ranking lower down the food chain.

Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 proves that isn't the case. In the premiere episode, Elizabeth gives a subordinate "orders from Major General Beale" immediately after destroying Omaha, ominously adding that the CRM's plan is only just beginning. The line all but confirms Beale is the true force behind the CRM, and every crime Elizabeth has committed throughout Walking Dead: World Beyond was according to his design. To hammer home that point, Major General Beale is mentioned yet again in episode 2, when Dr. Belshaw asks Elizabeth, "I'm assuming Major General Beale's plans are moving ahead as scheduled?" Again, the scene reinforces who's really pulling the CRM's strings.

Related: Andrew Lincoln's Favorite Episode Of The Walking Dead

Rick Grimes Is (Probably) Working To Bring Down The CRM

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Though information about Rick Grimes' The Walking Dead movie is rarer than a one-word answer from Eugene, it is possible to piece together a rough idea of what Andrew Lincoln's character is up to.

When Rick left The Walking Dead in season 9, his ailing body was taken away by a CRM helicopter. What happened next is a mystery, but in season 10's "What We Become," Michonne uncovers an important clue concerning Rick's movements - an iPhone engraved with an image of herself and Judith alongside "believe a little bit longer" in Japanese. Michonne's cellphone discovery confirms Rick was relatively near Alexandria, but for reasons unknown, couldn't return to his friends and family. The only possible explanation (and it's a very "Rick Grimes" explanation) is that The Walking Dead's hero must take down a dangerous threat before it's safe to venture back home.

Given that Rick was physically seen last in CRM custody, it's logical to assume the CRM is that threat, and will be the focus of his upcoming The Walking Dead movie. Rick would've been overjoyed to have his life saved by the Civic Republic's doctors after season 9's unfortunate horse accident/bridge explosion, but it also wouldn't take the former cop long to deduce the CRM was bad news. Weaving the group throughout 3 separate TV shows, The Walking Dead obviously has big plans for the Civic Republic, and it doesn't get much bigger than going toe-to-toe with Rick Grimes in movie theaters.

Is Major General Beale Rick Grimes' Movie Enemy?

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The Walking Dead: World Beyond has mentioned Major General Beale 3 times - twice within the opening episodes of season 2 alone. The name-drops are clearly leading to something, and though it's possible Beale will eventually appear in World Beyond itself, Elizabeth Kublek has the spinoff's main villain role covered. Walking Dead: World Beyond also ends after the current season, so introducing a bigger, overarching villain at this juncture seems doubly unlikely.

Related: The Walking Dead Needs Rick Grimes For Season 11 (Not Spinoff Movies)

Instead, Walking Dead: World Beyond could be planting seeds for Major General Beale ahead of his on-screen debut elsewhere in the franchise. And if Rick Grimes is secretly rallying against Beale's organization from the shadows, The Walking Dead's forthcoming movie looks to be the Major General's most plausible destination. Everyone who ever met Rick Grimes - from Morgan Jones to Negan Smith - eventually realized he was the man to rebuild the "new world." Rick accepted his role as a leader (eventually) and fought tooth and claw for his friends, eventually establishing a society based upon principles of fairness and civility. Rick isn't going to sit idly while the CRM plows through communities like Michonne's sword through Hershel's neck. And with his natural ability to gather others to his side, Rick Grimes is the perfect revolutionary to bring the CRM down.

A Rick-level threat is above Elizabeth's pay grade, so by the time The Walking Dead: World Beyond is over and AMC's planned movie is upon us, Major General Beale could be handling the CRM's Rick-tuation personally. From Rick's point of view, the CRM's dominance can only be ended by killing its leader. That means Rick Grimes vs. Major General Beale for the fate of the United States in The Walking Dead's very first movie.

More: World Beyond Fixes Its Biggest Walking Dead Problem In Season 2