Melissa McBride will no longer star alongside Norman Reedus on AMC’s The Walking Dead Daryl and Carol spinoff. The in-the-works offshoot will now entirely center on Reedus’ Daryl.
Why did Melissa McBride depart from the Daryl and Carol spinoff?
Initial reports suggested the decision to drop McBride from the project was a creative one, but a statement from an AMC rep maintained that the actress’ exit from the spinoff was about logistics.
“Melissa McBride has given life to one of the most interesting, real, human, and popular characters in The Walking Dead Universe. Unfortunately, she is no longer able to participate in the previously announced spinoff focused on the Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier characters, which will be set and filmed in Europe this summer and premiere next year,” said the AMC rep.
The spokesperson for the network explained that “relocating to Europe became logistically untenable for McBride at this time,” which ultimately led to her exit from the offshoot.
“We know fans will be disappointed by this news, but The Walking Dead Universe continues to grow and expand in interesting ways and we very much hope to see Carol again in the near future,” added the AMC rep.
How will the Daryl spinoff differ from the main series?
Since the eleventh and final season of The Walking Dead is still ongoing, it’s unclear what exactly will happen in the Daryl spinoff. While plot details are scarce, The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang ― who’s also aboard to run the spinoff ― said that the new show will be different from the original series.
“They’re going to be off on a different journey,” Kang said back in 2020 of the characters in the spinoff. “And that show’s going to feel hopefully a little tonally fresh. They’re just in a different stage of their lives and it’s more of a roadshow, which I think will be really fun.”
When will the Daryl spinoff come out?
When the spinoff was first announced in 2020, AMC’s plan was to air the series in 2023.
When will The Walking Dead end?
The Walking Dead season 11 is comprised of three eight-episode arcs. The last episode of the second arc came out on April 10th, with the entire third arc yet to be released. The show’s final batch of episodes will premiere on AMC after Fear the Walking Dead wrapped up its ongoing season 7 in June.