Very few sci-fi series have seen the kind of success that The Walking Dead has. The show has been renewed for an eleventh season and is based on the popular apocalyptic comic books by Robert Kirkman. There’s a distinct American-ness about the show which has only grown over the years, which is great because the UK has always been proven to be better equipped to deal with zombies on screen.
So, what if The Walking Dead was remade for UK audiences? There would, of course, be some fundamental changes in geography - perhaps a lot of zombie chases across moody moors. Plus, the accents would be very different. But would the project attract some A-listers or would it fare better with TV pros? Here’s a potential cast list for the UK reboot of The Walking Dead:
Negan: Idris Elba
Television misses Idris Elba and a UK-based Walking Dead reboot would be the perfect vehicle to bring the Luther star back to small screens. Whoever plays Negan will need to have a really wide range because Negan starts out as a hardcore villain but eventually the makers decide to explore other sides to his character. So the British version of the show would need a seasoned actor who has experience playing the good guy and the bad guy, and since Elba excels in both, it’s really the right choice. Plus Negan really has to be played by someone who can make the character their own, and play it differently from Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s version.
Daryl: Tom Hardy
We already know Tom Hardy isn’t averse to doing television, courtesy of his intriguing BBC TV series Taboo. And there really can’t be a better choice than Hardy to play the rebellious and angsty Daryl. When he is introduced he’s just a surly and unpredictable redneck but as the show progresses he really comes into his own and grows quite a bit.
Hardy is a genius at playing negative characters and though Daryl was never an antagonist, a streak of edge is very necessary to play Daryl and Hardy does really well at nuanced anti-heroes.
Rick: Martin Freeman
This may sound a bit unconventional, but Freeman has often surprised his audiences. Remember Fargo? It's clear that he has the depth and performative capacity to play Rick Grimes, whose character has been designed like that of a true leader. His character also goes through the utmost transformation through the show and if it was remade for British audiences the role would have to be played by someone who’s not a stranger to sensitive acting and has quite a bit of emotional range. Plus, it would be really refreshing to see Freeman play a bona fide apocalypse leader.
Michonne: Michaela Coel
There’s no reason why Danai Gurira couldn’t resume playing Michonne in the British reboot of the show, but we do understand if makers would want a name that’s more familiar to the British audiences. And I May Destroy You star Michaela Coel would be the ideal pick to play the resilient and brave Michonne in the UK reboot of The Walking Dead.
Michonne is at her core a survivor, she goes through an awful lot and her struggle is an important aspect of her character design. Coel can really excel in roles which are tumultuous and yet unyielding, and also has some experience playing a female lead.
Carl: Noah Jupe
The Honey Boy and Ford v Ferrari star has easily been one of the best finds of the decade. And Carl Grimes could just be his breakout role. Carl is easily one of the most fascinating characters in the franchise. He grows up from an innocent, traumatized kid into a hardened survivor, and despite all that he has lost, he retains a keen sense of empathy and kindness which makes his trajectory so beloved. Jupe has worked with several genres, from drama to horror and he even had a rather impressive stint in the thriller series The Night Manager and could really bring every distinct trait in Carl’s character.
Carol: Helen McRory
Carol has one of the best arcs on the show, and she’s an out-and-out fighter. She starts off as an abused housewife and turns into one of the most resilient survivors. She’s also a terrific maternal figure and her struggles really helped the audiences connect with her.
Peaky Blinders star Helen McRory would be a great pick to play the gutsy Carol. Interestingly, Carol and McRory’s Peaky Blinders character Poly Gray share some traits and also go through some similar circumstances and it would be interesting to see the star in an apocalypse outing.
Maggie: Jenna Coleman
Maggie has a really interesting character progression on the show. She starts out as someone who’s clearly not ready to cope with an apocalypse and gradually hardens up and learns to navigate her new reality. By Season 3 she had undergone a total transformation and established herself as a survivor. Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman could be cast as the brave Maggie; the actor has often been typecast as the girl next door but Maggie’s character takes this characterization to the next level by exploring how an uncomplicated girl learns to grapple with a global apocalypse. Plus, this could really help Jenna showcase her range.
Shane: Aidan Gillen
Shane has been one of the most hated people on The Walking Dead. His obsession for Lori definitely bordered on maniacal. There was a lot of texture in Shane’s character which made him so different from a traditional bad guy and made him so interesting to watch.
He definitely drew out the most reaction from the audience. Game of Thrones Aidan Gillen would be an ideal pick to play Shane in the UK reboot of the show; Gillen has mastered the sketchy-but-intriguing baddie prototype and works with something similar in Peaky Blinders too.
Sasha: Nathalie Emmanuel
Sasha’s narrative is one of the most traumatic ones because she was one of the characters who really showcased how gruesome the apocalypse was, through her personal struggles. She was a firefighter so she was quite capable of protecting herself and those around her, and was an incredible alpha. However, she found it very difficult to think in terms of a community member. Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel could be interesting as Sasha in the reboot, especially because she has never played someone so fierce on the screen, and her breakout role of Missandei had a very different tone to it. So, her fans would love to see her in this avatar.
Glenn: Ben Whishaw
Whishaw’s fans probably can’t imagine the actor in a zombie series and that’s all the more reason why the James Bond star who’s known for his cerebral, moving performances should play Glenn in the show’s UK reboot. Fans have always felt that Glenn’s character has been treated pretty lousily by the makers and his arc could have ushered him as a deuteragonist since he goes through so much and grows quite a bit. Maybe if Whishaw is cast as the reliable Glenn, the makers would conceive his character a bit differently.