SPOILER ALERT: This post contains details of tonights The Walking Dead Season 9 finale on AMC.
Thats part of the thing for our characters who dont have full closure on Rick, The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang says about tonights Season 9 finale, and where the now Andrew Lincoln-less zombie apocalypse series could go next. That is something that remains an open question and may play into the story going forward in certain ways, she adds of the fate of ex-leading man Lincolns Rick Grimes and the still growing blast radius from his being plucked out of the show in the first half of the season.
Of course, this first season of long time TWD producer Kangs regime running the series based on Robert Kirkmans comics has proven a Hell of a reset.
Deviating widely from the comics and jolting the narrative with the loss of Lincoln and Lauren Cohans Maggie, there was a big time jump, a dramatic shift in technology, the introduction of the dreaded Samantha Morton-led Whisperers, the killing of Tom Paynes Jesus and the adaption of one of the most iconic moments from the comics with the beheading of 10 characters in last weeks penultimate episode.
Tonights Greg Nicotero-directed and Kang- and Matthew Negrete-penned The Storm finale saw Danai Guriras Michonne, Norman Reedus Daryl, Melissa McBrides Carol, Khary Paytons Ezekiel and most of the Survivors reeling from the massacre of The Calm Before, as they battle a raging blizzard and splintering divisions and a mysterious voice that suddenly breaks through the silence.
I spoke with Kang about the voice on the radio, where the end of Season 9 leaves TWD, and where the AMC show is heading going forward. Part of that discussion about Season 10 was also about the fate of Rick and those Lincoln-starring movies, hints of Maggies return, the new role of Michonne next year and how Reedus has stepped up as the leading man. And, oh yeah, we also talked about the new spinoff to join the ranks of TWD and Fear the Walking Dead.
DEADLINE: So, who did the voice on the radio belong to? Was it Rick? Maggie?
KANG: I think that is the question of the day. You know, I think thats the question we want to put out there. Whose voice is it? Its garbled, and theres a bit of mystery there.
DEADLINE: You know thats an understatement right?
KANG: (Laughs) Yeah, its one of those things that were excited to tell the story of in Season 10. So, as with anything, thats sort of a mysterious occurrence in the world of our people. Its something that in some way will turn the story in a way that I hope resonates.
DEADLINE: In terms of that, with all the shifts Season 9 and the finale had, Michonne is clearly still a leader for the Survivors. So, with it revealed earlier this year that Danai Gurira will be playing a diminished role in Season 10, how do you plan to weave her in next year?
KANG: Well, we are going to be doing some creative things with the order in which we write and shoot things so that shes sort of woven in a little bit. With Black Panther, Avengers and plays of her own and everything, I think Danai obviously is having an amazing career moment. Shes like an international treasure.
So weve kind of known that she would have a reduced role this coming season. Were excited to tell a nice, meaty story with her for Season 10 regardless, I can tell you.
Im also so thrilled with all the great attention shes gotten for the work shes done on the show this year. Danai is not only an amazing athlete and warrior on the show, but shes such an incredible dramatic actress too in my opinion.
DEADLINE: So, she will be a significant part of Season 10, even with less of an episode-by-episode presence?
KANG: Absolutely. I was going through an outline right before you and I started talking. Its basically another one of these giant Michonne episodes, which Im really excited about. Yeah, she will be a significant part of Season 10.
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DEADLINE: Coming after the Whisperers massacre of 10 of the Survivors including Tara, Enid and Carol and Ezekiels son Henry last week, there was a lot to unpack in this finale. Hints of Maggie returning, the search for Andrew Lincolns Rick, a change of philosophy by Michonne, Jeffrey Dean Morgans Negan saving Judith in the blizzard, Carol leaving Ezekiel, Daryl taking on even more of a leadership role, and Samantha Mortons Alpha taking a whipping but clearly focused on more bloodshed. With all that, what do you think fans should having been paying attention to as a set-up for next year?
KANG: Whats funny is I think youve kind of hit all the major things. Obviously, from a giant plot standpoint the thing that I want people to key into is the twist were trying to play with when an antagonist on our show has made a big move like committing a mass murder.
Now things ramp up and its time to go to war, but, to add another twist, the Whisperers are not your normal group. Theyre not behind walls somewhere. You cant just go knock on their door and have guns pointed at their gates. Thats not them. Were playing with the expectations of are they even where they say they are at any given time. Theyre migratory.
We picture that they move south for the winter, but then who knows what that means, and the fact is we didnt see them go. Our Survivors dont know if theyre going to see them come. We want to set up that the conflict with Whisperers is not going to be like the conflicts weve had with other groups that are safe behind walls.
The other thing is obviously theres this voice on the radio. What does that mean? Who is it? The answer to that will provide some interesting twists for the story going forward. Obviously, the idea is that Rick and Maggie and all these people are alive in our universe. Thats part of the thing for our characters who dont have full closure on Rick. That is something that remains an open question and may play into the story going forward in certain ways.
DEADLINE: And Maggie? Tonights episode teased that Whiskey Cavalier star Lauren Cohan may be coming back after slipping away after the time jump during the latter part of the What Comes After episode?
KANG: Maggie is somebody we still hope will come back. We dont know if, when that all happens and how, but the fact is the world is opening up a little bit in our show and people are far flung. Theres a sense now that there are places other than the one place they know exists.
DEADLINE: How do you mean?
KANG: You know, I hope what fans took something out of the fact that we did a snow episode nine seasons in. Its a way of showing, among other things, that we still have some new things that we can try on the show and new things to show. You know, I dont always want to do the expected thing or the thing that weve seen. We still have creative avenues that we will continue to explore in the 10th season which were really excited about.
DEADLINE: To that, lets talk about Norman Reedus Daryl and the creative avenues that that character is going to travel next season in a Walking Dead with no Rick, no Maggie for now, less of Michonne and facing a new type of foe?
KANG: Well, its been really interesting working on Daryl this year, particularly because Norman and I talk about his character all the time and I think hes so keyed into his mind-set.
I think Daryl, at his core, hasnt really changed. Theres still the Daryl who doesnt trust easily, but once he does trust you he is like loyal to the death. I often talk internally about him. Hes not somebody who cares about being a king but hes like a loyal knight. He can be a lone wolf and can feel comfortable wandering and fighting but his heart is so true.
I think that that part of Daryl hasnt changed at all, but I think that what passing time has kind of forced us to do is show hes not exactly the same because time has changed him, circumstance changed him. Hes less twitchy than before. Hes less going to go off at a hairs trigger. People look at him now and go hes somebody I can lean on. Daryls now somebody Norman and I truly understand. So Norman comes less at the way he plays scenes from that standpoint of Im always ready to jump into a fight, especially this year.
DEADLINE: Your relationship with Noman has evolved from you being a writer to a producer and this season as a showrunner. Flipping that, how has Norman evolved as an actor on the show as Daryl becomes more prominent?
KANG: Norman and I have always had a really strong and honest relationship with each other so thats been great for me coming into the season running the show to know that he knew that I have his back, and for me to feel like from as one of the leads of the show that he has mine. We can really talk to each other about creative things.
In the absence of Andy, who is such a strong and clear number one on the show and who really set the tone of the show for years, and even inspired other people whove gone on to other shows themselves, to try to keep that same real positivity, great work ethic, no drama, Normans had to step up in different ways, and he really has.
You know, Norman and I had conversations this year about what happens when people come into the cast now? Andy used to be the one that made that first call and said welcome to the show and heres some tips about being in Georgia. I said to Norman, guess what, buddy thats you now. Youre one of those people now. Youve got to do that and he did. I spoke to Ryan Hurst, who joined us this year, and he told me he thought Norman was so great. Ryan said that Norman called him right away and, like Andy used to, said Im going to show you where to go to eat and this is where you should live and you can ride my motorcycles.
DEADLINE: Speaking of taking a ride, there is a lot of movement in The Walking Dead universe right now. Obviously, Scott (Gimple, TWD chief content officer) and Robert are doing a lot of things. Whats going on with the Rick Grimes movies or the next spinoff thats coming?
KANG: To be honest, I cant tell you that much.
DEADLINE: You always say that
KANG: (Laughs) No, really. What I know is stuff is in the works and people are churning away at things. A lot of pieces are moving around and places are being picked and scripts are being written and things are happening. But, Im in my own corner. So, I run into the guys and they say were working on all these things. However, beyond that, the details, I think its really up to them to kind of talk about. Truthfully, right now, I dont have that much I can share with you anyway. Sorry I cant give you much more there.
DEADLINE: Fair enough for now, but at the end of your first season as showrunner, what can you tell us about what this season of resets, loss and revenge has been like for you?
KANG: It was amazing for me. The thing is showrunning, everybody will tell you universally its an impossible job. Youre wearing so many hats, too many hats at one time, and thats kind of true. But, for me, I think the thing that makes a giant difference is if you really love the material and love the people you work with, that makes the hard parts worth it.
I feel so fortunate that The Walking Dead family is such a warm, loving and kind of scrappy and great family that I really love. The network has been incredibly supportive and wonderful too. Its nine seasons in and they let us make a lot of changes. So, I still am excited to work on these episodes, to try to think of new stories, and try to think of new action for our characters and their world.
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