Who wants to live forever?
It’s the oft-cited quote from Freddie Mercury and Queen about chasing immortality and the hidden dangers it may bring. It can also be applied to the entertainment industry, what with so many franchises and TV series – like, say, The Walking Dead – on the hunt for evergreen status.
So whereas Game of Thrones is about to bow out after eight installments – much to the dismay of George R.R. Martin – AMC’s The Walking Dead is very much here to stay, and may well outlive us all if the network’s master plan is anything to go by.
Per Bloomberg, not only is AMC aiming for another “decade plus” of TWD, but they’ve seemingly drawn up tentative plans for “multiple movies” and new TV shows based on the original graphic novels, presumably on the belief that The Walking Dead is a franchise big enough to rival the likes of Star Wars.
The company, which owns the popular zombie-apocalypse series, plans to produce multiple movies and new TV shows based on the graphic novels that spawned the series, according to people familiar with the plans. AMC has talked to several large media companies about partnering on the projects, which collectively could cost several hundred million dollars.
Doing so may force AMC to buddy up with potential partners, as launching new series and full-blown movies can be an expensive venture. Through time, though, the network also wants to bring The Walking Dead overseas in the hope that the hit zombie drama can resonate with international viewers just as it did with those in North America.
The company would also take the franchise overseas, setting at least one series in another country. The Walking Dead is one of the most popular shows in dozens of countries. Scott Gimple, who produced several seasons of The Walking Dead, is overseeing development of different narrative possibilities. He was named chief content officer for both The Walking Dead and its prequel Fear the Walking Dead in January.
The Walking Dead‘s ninth season has been scheduled for a premiere on October 9th, and will signal Andrew Lincoln’s last appearance as Rick Grimes. We’re not crying, you’re crying!