The following post contains spoilers for The Walking Dead season 5.
The Walking Dead never fails to impress in San Diego every summer since creator Robert Kirkman and company always share the next season’s jam-packed trailer. The season 6 trailer, hanging after the break, previews the power struggle going on in the not-so-safe-zone known as Alexandria. With Lennie James’ Morgan in the mix, Rick Grimes has someone else to contend with. However, EP Scott M. Gimple states, “Things might not be as they seem…We sometimes play with the truth in trailers.” Interpret that as you will.
What else? After saying that there will be some “flashbackery” and time jumps coming soon, he later corrected himself and said, “A whole lot of flashbacks” are on the way; in fact, an entire episode will be a flashback. The Wolves are coming, as hinted across episodes in season 5; they will factor into the next season in “a way you might not expect,” teased Gimple. Casting announcements were made as well; Corey Hawkins is Heath from the comics, Nurse Jackie‘s Merritt Wever is also playing somebody from the comics, and Ethan Embry is featured in the new trailer.
In addition to Gimple, EPs Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, and Greg Nicotero were on the panel along with stars Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Norman Reedus.
What was it like being there? Well… McBride walked onto the stage with a tray of freshly baked cookies (hello, Scare-ol!). Reedus disclosed the three things he needs to get into character as Daryl Dixon: Motörhead, coffee, and Candy Crush (he’s a level 275 and proud of it!). Cudlitz said of his character, “Abraham’s defining moment hasn’t come yet.” Boom. Do you miss Rick’s beard? So does he? Gimple says his facial hair will continue to serve as a barometer of where his head is at; so, if the proverbial shit continues to hit the fan, expect that beard to be meaner than ever. Kirkman and Lauren Cohan couldn’t make the panel so everyone on the panel wore shirts with the creator’s big head on it and Cohan texted Nicotero for Yeun to read a love note to the fans (it was very sweet and then very funny). Also, an entertaining season 5 blooper reel was shown; unfortunately it wasn’t made available online so you’ll have to nab the DVD to see it.
The Walking Dead premieres its sixth season on Sunday, October 11 at 9pm on AMC. The super-sized 90-minute episode, directed by Greg Nicotero, will be followed by a new installment of Talking Dead hosted by Chris Hardwick. It was also announced that the premiere will screen for fans at Madison Square Garden; details here. Jump into the gallery below to see pictures from the panel as well as first looks at newly decomposed walkers designed, of course, by Mr. Nicotero.
Jump after the break for scoop on companion series Fear the Walking Dead.
Immediately following The Walking Dead panel, fans were privy to the first intense look at Kirkman’s companion series Fear the Walking Dead. It’s a prequel that takes place during the early stages of the zombie virus spreading in Los Angeles. Season one’s timeline will show viewers what happened while Rick Grimes slept in his coma.
EP David Erickson joined Hurd and Nicotero on stage with the cast of Fear: Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Elizabeth Rodriquez, Lorenzo James Henrie, Ruben Blades, and Mercedes Mason.
“It starts as a family drama, and we filter the apocalypse through that,” said Erickson. It’s about “a highly dysfunctional blended family trying to hold it together,” he added. The setting is important–Los Angeles is a place where people go to reimagine themselves and “that [theme] plays through most of our characters.”
As you will glean from the full-length trailer below, Fear is tonally and visually very different from The Walking Dead. Nicotero went on to explain that his pre-apocalypse walkers still have humanity in their eyes. See his walkers in the gallery and you’ll notice they merely look sick as opposed to undead.
And the question on everyone’s mind: will this new band of survivors cross paths with Rick and the gang? Erickson shuts it down quite swiftly: “There are no plans right now to conflate the two stories,” he said. Though he did admit that’d be interesting to do, so perhaps it will (way) down the line.
Fear the Walking Dead debuts its 6-episode first season on Sunday, August 23 at 9pm on AMC. A Talking Dead hour will follow the season finale only.
