The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman thinks an animated series of the zombie thriller has potential. The Walking Dead concluded its 10th season last month with "Here's Negan," an episode dedicated to the popular character's backstory. The show is about to enter its final season in August.
When The Walking Dead #1 hit comic book stores in 2003, few could have predicted the multimedia franchise it would become. The comic itself was popular, and increased in recognition when the show debuted. The live-action adaption on AMC premiered in 2010 and would go on to be a massive cable ratings hit. Although ratings declined later on, it has continued to be a popular watch. The franchise entered the video game world with Telltale's The Walking Dead, a critically acclaimed story-based adventure with three sequels. There are also spinoff shows and a trilogy of Rick Grimes movies looking to begin filming soon. The only thing missing now is an animated spinoff.
In an interview with Inverse, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman discussed the possibility of creating an animated take on the franchise after the success of Invincible. Kirkman hasn't ruled out the idea.
"I wouldn't rule it out. It would definitely be fun. I see the potential in doing that kind of thing, and I am really enjoying working in animation. I'm hoping to do some more animated stuff beyond Invincible, just because it seems to be a really fun working process and quite enjoyable. So who knows what the future holds."
Given how popular Invincible's first season is, it's not surprising to see Kirkman optimistic about doing more in animation. An animated Walking Dead spinoff certainly would have potential. Since the outbreak doesn't seem like a contained event, an animated show can explore many different settings and characters. An interesting idea would be to re-adapt the comic book. Despite AMC's show being an adaption, it has changed a number of things. A straight adaption in the comic's art style would be a treat for longtime readers and those interested in seeing how the source material exactly played out.
A Walking Dead animated adaption wouldn't have to worry about actors leaving the show. Whereas Rick wasn't present in AMC's adaption of the Whisperer War, the comic is a different story. Fans would also get to see Carl's story play out to the very end with the time jump. For the "Here's Negan" episode, showrunner Angela Kang said Dwight didn't appear due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting scheduling. Something like that wouldn't be an issue for an animated adaption. Hopefully, The Walking Dead will enter animation in some form one day. For now, fans can enjoy plenty of Walking Dead content coming up, including a spinoff show starring Daryl and Carol.
Source: Inverse