Well, that definitely didn’t go how we expected. Rick Grimes didn’t die in last night’s episode of The Walking Dead as everyone thought he would but was instead taken away by helicopter to recover…and to go off and star in his own movie trilogy. Yes, Lincoln isn’t saying goodbye to the TWD universe just yet, as Rick will be back for at least three TV films to air on AMC in the near future.
The aim of these movies is going to be to visit other parts of the walker-infested world outside of the area that the show covers, so you’d imagine that Lincoln will be joined by an all-new cast for these productions. However, it seems that there’s a good chance that two fan favorites from the series could reappear alongside Rick in the films, as we’re learning that Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon and Danai Gurira’s Michonne could crossover as well.
AMC programming president David Madden said that he had “high hopes” that at least Michonne would make an appearance, seeing as she and Rick have a romantic connection that needs to be resolved, as she’s left to think him dead in the storyline of the TV show. Though obviously fans would say that the bromance between Rick and Daryl is just as in need of a resolution.
Episode 9×05 fast-forwarded six years after Rick was taken away by Jadis, catching up with our heroes having long been adjusted to living without Rick. Little Judith, in particular, seems to have inherited her dad’s toughness with a huge helping of Michonne’s badassery as well. No doubt it would throw his friends for a loop if they discovered he’d actually been alive all this time.
While we await more news about these exciting spinoff movies, The Walking Dead season 9 continues as normal with episode 6 this Sunday on AMC.