The third standalone series in AMC’s The Walking Dead franchise is almost ready for filming.
During an analyst call earlier this week, AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan revealed that the upcoming show, currently being referred to as The Walking Dead 3, already has a pilot script and a writers’ room. While a premiere date has yet to be announced, it is expected to debut sometime in 2020.
“With its focus on the next generation of survivors led by two young female protagonists, we think this third series is a perfect gateway to advance the narrative of this universe in ways that are multi-generational, fresh and unexpected,” Sapan said.
Officially announced by AMC last April, The Walking Dead 3 was co-created by franchise chief content officer Scott M. Gimple and Matt Negrete, who has served as writer and producer for the mothership series since 2003.
Negrete will show run the 10-episode freshman run of the new series, which will focus on the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse. “Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad,” read a portion of the show’s synopsis.
“Showing audiences an unseen pocket of The Walking Dead Universe steeped in a new mythology is a very cool way to celebrate a ‘Decade of the Dead’ on TV and over fifteen years of Robert Kirkman’s brilliant comic,” Gimple said in a statement, announcing the new series. “Matt Negrete is one of the best writer-producers in TWD’s long history — I’m thrilled to be working beside him to tell stories unlike we’ve seen before, taking our first step into an even larger world.”
“I’m beyond excited to be a part of this new show set in The Walking Dead Universe,” added Negrete. “Writing and producing for the original series has been the job of a lifetime and I’m honored to be working with Scott and all the fine Dead folks at AMC in this new capacity. I can’t wait for the fans of the franchise to see what we’ve been cooking up!”
In addition to The Walking Dead 3 that is set to begin production during the summer in Virginia, AMC is also developing three original The Walking Dead movies with Andrew Lincoln signed on to reprise his role as Rick Grimes.