The Walking Dead: Are The Rick Grimes Movies Dead In The Water? – TheThings

Skybound's Walking Dead movies have been in pre-production for the past year, though hardly any developments have been made since. Could this be a sign that production is at a stand-still?

Originally, when word got out that AMC and Skybound were developing a trilogy of Walking Dead movies, it was all anyone could talk about. But now that over a year has passed, excitement is beginning to wane.

Chief Content Officer Scott S. Gimple offered fans a small update during a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, confirming that the movie script is still being worked on. Gimple also pointed out that a director has yet to be named.

Since the films are presumably delayed until further notice, Skybound may have to rethink their marketing strategy centered around Andrew Lincoln. The actor is recognized as one of the most prominent Walking Dead characters, but that time is coming to an end.

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The problem lies in how fans are likely to forget about Lincoln's character as more time passes. Lincoln's last appearance in "What Comes After" aired back in 2018 and The Walking Dead has gone through a majority of an entirely new arc since then. And by the time one of these Untitled Walking Dead movies rolls around, the television series will have passed yet another story-arc.

Because The Walking Dead is distancing itself from the Rick Grimes storyline, Skybound might not be able to count on Lincoln being as popular as he once was. At the same time, their upcoming feature films will lose their appeal. So the best possible solution is to send him back to the television series.

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One argument that could be made is Lincoln will decide not to reprise his role as Rick Grimes. Lincoln spoke of how he was leaving The Walking Dead to spend more time with his family on multiple occasions, implying that he wouldn't come back if asked.

On the other hand, having Lincoln return to the television series might be the only viable option at this point. If AMC and Skybound can't get the Rick Grimes movies off the ground before 2021, having him return to the televised medium is the next best thing. They'd still have to convince Lincoln to return to shoot in the United States but reducing the time he's needed for can work as a suitable compromise.

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The good news is Lincoln's character has the perfect reason to return: his kids. Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) met an untimely demise in Season 9, but Judith (Cailey Fleming) and RJ (Antony Azor) are still around. Michonne (Danai Gurira), the matriarch of their family is too, but she'll be gone before Rick Grimes gets the chance to come back.

Another reason Rick Grimes is needed is that the Negan threat has slowly begun to resurface. He's quietly infiltrated the Whisperers, and it's only a matter of time before Negan becomes their leader.

Once he assumes control of the skinwalker group, Negan will have everything necessary for dominating the world of The Walking Dead yet again. The Whisperers are known to be savage and relentless, which is exactly what Negan sought out when he recruited people to the Saviors. Of course, his plans could hit a major setback if Rick were to intervene.

Rick Grimes returning to Alexandria also presents the show's producers with the unique possibility to add more to the CRM story. The clandestine group will play a pivotal role in next year's companion series entitled World Beyond, although setting up CRM's arrival with a few more episodes of The Walking Dead may benefit the series in the long run. Mind you, The Walking Dead: World Beyond will only run for two seasons.

Nevertheless, AMC and Skybound need to make a decision onThe Walking Dead's future. Either they fast-track the movies, so they're released in late 2020, or choose an appropriate time to reintroduce Andrew Lincoln to the show. The ball is in their court now.

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Paul Zuniga is a journalist who's been covering entertainment-related topics for the past three years, mostly for FanSided's network of websites. His expertise, however, doesn't stop there. Paul has also interviewed both newcomers and veterans of the entertainment industry, delving deep into the complexities of movies and television. And he's intent on keeping the momentum going.

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The Walking Dead: Are The Rick Grimes Movies Dead In The Water? - TheThings

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