When The Walking Dead returns to AMC this fall, the season 4 opener promises to be one special episode. It is written by new showrunner Scott Gimple (who previously wrote last season’s gem “Clear,” the one where Rick finds Morgan) and directed by the show’s zombie-maker Greg Nicotero. Such a collaboration should have fans salivating for the fourth season premiere. Watch a clip announcing the news above; unfortunately it does not contain new footage but fans can expect that next month at the show’s hyped Comic Con panel.

Rick Grimes lingers in the woods, perhaps unaware that a killer zombie looms a few feet behind him. There isn’t much going on here, but nevertheless it’s your first look at The Walking Dead season 4 set to resume in October 2013 on AMC.

The Walking Dead season 3 finale on March 31 managed to break a new ratings record for the cable hit. 12.4 million viewers tuned into the final episode of the season which saw the death of a major character. The previous record-holding episode was the February 10 midseason premiere which garnered 12.3 million viewers–the finale just beat it out. 6.8 million in the coveted 18-49 demo watched this episode, another all-time high for the series.

AMC president Charlie Collier: “Two words: Grateful. Dead. It’s a joy that we get to work with such tremendous talent to makeThe Walking Dead and Talking Dead come to life for audiences that continue to engage and grow. In just three seasons, The Walking Dead has become a pop-culture phenomenon, entertaining millions of passionate viewers and obliterating traditional lines between cable and broadcast television.”

Now check out this preview of season 4 which is set to debut on AMC in October. Though you won’t find new footage, you will hear tantalizing tidbits from the show’s producers and stars. ”There’s a broader, bigger world out there. Now that we’ve introduced that there are more survivors out there, it’s only going to get more and more interesting,” says EP David Alpert. “We will be getting into more world building, more civilization being brought back, more of a bigger sense of community,” spills EP and Walking Dead comic book creator Robert Kirkman. “The Governor is still out there. The war is not over,” shares EP Denise Huth. Fans can also expect more transformation out of trigger-happy Carl. ”Is Carl going to be Rick? Or is Carl going to be The Governor? Right now it can go either way,” posits Huth.

War is brewing. It’s Rick and his Prison pack versus The Governor and the wily town of Woodbury. Before The Walking Dead‘s midseason break, Rick infiltrated Woodbury to rescue Glenn and Maggie who had been kidnapped by Merle. Rick’s ambush was a success and his nemesis The Governor (who he hasn’t even met yet!) came out of it all with vengeance on his mind. Michonne killed his zombie daughter Penny right in front of him and then she gauged one his eyes out. (I think it’s now safe to say that The Governor will never see eye-to-eye with anyone from here on out.) The major cliffhanger, of course, was the surprising reunion of the Dixon brothers under not-so-ideal terms; The Governor blames Rick’s attack on the one-handed Merle, after all, because he had lied about taking out Michonne in the woods.

What will be the fate of the Dixons? What is Rick’s next move and will he continue to lose his mind during a strenuous time when he needs it most? Which side will Andrea end on when the dust settles; will she choose to stick with the one-eyed (don’t-call-him-Phillip) Governor or return to her original group at the Prison? After her battle with The Governor Michonne’s wasn’t acting like herself–has she gone soft? How will the latest addition to our group Tyrese factor into it all? The Walking Dead resumes the second half of its 16-episode third season tonight (2/10) at 9PM on AMC. Watch a preview here. The Talking Dead–now in a one-hour format airing immediately after TWD with special guests Steven Yeun and Kevin Smith–follows.

Note: Since Dead has been on hiatus, news broke that for the second time the series’ showrunner is departing. Like Frank Darabont before him, Glen Mazzara is leaving the show due to creative differences. However, you should know that Mazzara had his hand in the making of the back half of this season. His successor Scott M. Gimple (the show’s supervising producer/writer) takes the reins during the production of season 4.

Update (2/11): Back from another break and The Walking Dead reaches a new series high in ratings. Sunday night’s midseason premiere drew 12.3 million viewers, besting the previous record holder that was the season 3 premiere (that episode garnered 10.9 million viewers). Across the first 9PM airing and the three encores that AMC showed Sunday night, the midseason premiere attracted a grand total of 16.6 million viewers. That’s huge people.

“When you look at numbers like this, the first thing that comes to mind is how grateful we are to the fans of this show,” said AMC president Charlie Collier. “They embrace The Walking Dead in a way that we wanted to believe was possible but we never take for granted.The cast and crew put everything they have into making this show. They’re a phenomenally talented group who truly give their all. We congratulate everyone involved.”

The second half of The Walking Dead season 3 is set to debut February 10 and AMC is building up to that day with a couple new teasers that feature new, exciting material. In the 30-second spot above, Rick and The (one-eyed) Governor anticipate war. After the break, a slightly longer clip reveals (don’t call him) Phillip’s plan to release Andrea back into Rick’s camp at the prison. After watching, you’re gonna wish it was Feb. 10 tomorrow. (Click here for more…)

First, the good news: The Walking Dead is coming back for a fourth cycle next year, obviously, since it has been maintaining record high ratings all season long. And now, the hauntingly disconcerting news: Showrunner Glen Mazzara will not be involved in the making of season four and beyond. When the second half of season three wraps he’s stepping down as showrunner due to creative differences. Typically Dead is renewed for a new season shortly after its record-breaking ratings are posted following  a season premiere, but this year the news came later and the decision to let Mazzara go was most likely the major holdup here. A series of released statements from Mazzara, the cable network that airs the show AMC, Dead creator Robert Kirkman, and executive producer Gale Anne Hurd make it sound as if the parting of ways was amicable, but industry sources say Mazzara was not enjoying his time at the helm of the show as of late. The statements can be read in full after the break.

I say this is disconcerting news because it has happened before. Series developer Frank Darabont exited the show on less “amicable” terms early in season 2, also due to creative differences with the network. The Walking Dead started off strong in its abbreviated debut season, the action slowed down when the farm was introduced in season two, and when Darabont handed the reins to Mazzara things kicked into high gear and never looked back. The current season is arguably the best one yet, and fans have Mazzara’s touch to thank for that. How will the show forge on without him come season four? It managed to reach new heights when Darabont left so it’s still fair to believe that the show will continue to see success with a new showrunner at the helm (the search is on); Kirkman and Hurd–executive producers who have their hands firmly planted in the show’s creative department aren’t going anywhere. But still (and I’m going to use this word one more time) it’s extremely disconcerting, for the team behind the show and viewers alike, to see The Walking Dead be handed off from one showrunner to the next. A show with this magnitude of ratings (and recently creative) success doesn’t deserve to be shaken up so much on such a regular basis. In the end this may really hurt the show in terms of its overall direction and sense of cohesion.

Mazzara’s vision of The Walking Dead continues when it returns with new episodes Sunday, February 10. (Click here for more…)

Michonne. The Governor. Woodbury. The prison. There has been so much excitement about what’s coming next on The Walking Dead and now the time has finally arrived to regroup with Rick and our gang of zombie apocalypse survivors. Eye this season’s key art above that features Rick Grimes front and center (once again) atop an overturned bus outside the zombie-infested prison. Gotta love the tagline: “Fight the dead. Fear the living.” Next dive in the galleries below to view character profiles and pictures from tonight’s season premiere, “Seed.”

The Walking Dead premieres tonight (10/14) at 9PM on AMC. And don’t forget to tune into Talking Dead immediately following the episode; host Chris Hardwick will be talking to showrunner Glen Mazzara and Michonne–er, Danai Gurira.

Ramp up anticipation by watching the season 3 trailer a couple more times. It’s that good.

Update: Get used to it–AMC’s The Walking Dead shatters records when it premieres. 10.9 million viewers tuned into the season three premiere last night; that’s up 50 percent from the season two opener. It also performed extremely well in the two coveted demos; in adults 18-49 it attracted 7.3 million viewers (up 52 percent from the season two premiere) and in adults 25-54 it attracted 6.1 million viewers (up 46 percent). If you include the two encore airings of the episode, a grand total of 15.2 million people saw “Seed.” The show managed to garner this many viewers while Dish subscribers were left out in the cold due to a contract dispute. AMC can rightfully boast that last night’s return of The Walking Dead is most-watched drama telecast in basic cable history and in the 18-49 demo it is the highest-rated series this fall–including cable and broadcast offerings. Hats off to the zombies. I don’t think you’ll ever have to tell this show to break a leg going into a premiere. Oops, sorry Hershel…too soon?

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[Images via AMC]

The return of The Walking Dead may be a little over a week away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your zombie fill right now. The show’s makeup and special FX expert Greg Nicotero is back directing a new batch of Walking Dead webisodes. The four-part web series is titled Cold Storage and it follows Josh Stewart (No Ordinary Family) as Chase, a man trying to make his way to his sister in the early days of the zombie apocalypse. Thanks to some nasty walkers, he is forced to make a pit stop at a storage facility controlled by a guy (Lost‘s Daniel Roebuck) who thinks he has it all figured out.

“It’s such a thrill to revisit the The Walking Dead world from a new perspective and tell a bit of a darker story this time around with the webisodes,” said Nicotero. “We had a terrific cast, and once again the crew came up with some killer walker gags and visual effects. This year there’s a clear nod to the ‘show’ but our story could definitely exist on it’s own as the ‘what if’ story of The Walking Dead.”

Here are direct links to the four gory, suspenseful installments that make up Cold Storage:

PART 1 // PART 2 // PART 3 // PART 4

The Walking Dead returns with all-new episodes October 14 on AMC.

The Walking Dead returns October 14 at 9PM on AMC. And here’s your very first look at season three! While Rick and his gang attempt to penetrate the prison merely teased at the end of last season, Andrea and Michonne are captured by next season’s villain known as The Governor and are brought to a town called Woodbury. There will come a time when these storylines cross and Rick will face off with The Governor as our hero won’t easily give up their newfound home. “I’m not giving up this prison. We took it, it’s ours. We split blood. If we see you out here, anywhere near our people, I’ll kill you,” snarls a gruffy Rick Grimes. Speaking of appearances, you’ll surely notice that Rick is overdue for a haircut and shave and the former goes for his son Carl too; and old man Hershel is rocking one helleva white beard. What else? David Morrissey’s Governor comes off as an inviting fellow in this teaser; obviously everything is not as it seems here. “I don’t trust him,” Michonne whispers to Andrea in that perfect little town of his. And then, at the very end, Merle returns in the flesh this time. Dontcha like what he did with his stub?

Jump after the break to see The Walking Dead Comic Con banner. It features Rick with a hoard of zombies creeping behind him, Michonne with her zombie slaves wielding her katana sword, and The Governor offering his hand with that mysterious helicopter flying in the skies above him. “May-day, May-day!” the soldiers controlling the ‘copter scream in the clip. Is it the same one Rick saw recently? The questions pile on as anticipation ramps up like never before. Is it October yet? (Click here for more…)

Do you need your Walking Dead fix? This weekend is your antidote. Over the course of two days, AMC will be re-airing the first two seasons of The Walking Dead. The marathon begins Saturday, July 7 at 11:30AM and all nineteen episodes will have been played come Sunday night at 8PM. What happens after that? A very special edition of Talking Dead will air Sunday at 9PM and host Chris Hardwick will tease fans with a glimpse into season three including a scene from the new season, a tour of the new set (the prison!), and interviews with the cast, executive producers, and celebrity fans. And that’s not all. Following the marathon and Talking Dead, AMC will screen the pilot episode “Days Gone By” in black-and-white! Before the show premiered in October 2010, executive producer Robert Kirkman experimented with the black-and-white formula because that is how he tells the zombie saga in his comic books. View a full schedule of the two-day ‘thon right here.

While the popcorn’s popping, here’s a season 3 sneak peek for you to gaze upon. Open the gallery below to view pictures of the mysterious Michonne (played by Danai Gurira) and The Governor (David Morrissey); also bunched in there is yet another still of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) pointing his gun menacingly (also seen above) and (spoiler alert!) the return of Daryl’s racist, one-handed brother Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker). The cherries on top are two images provided by EW: one that features our gang of survivors fending off a hoard of walkers as a unit Avengers-style and the other starring Maggie (Lauren Cohan) doing her best karate chop with a sharp machete.

Dead heads rejoice. This is your time.

[Via TWD 1, 2]

The first thing Walking Dead fans are used to seeing before the start of a new season is a graphic production still of Greg Nicotero’s spectacular zombies. This time around, however, we get a two-and-a-half minute clip! Though it’s not all that revealing in terms of plot, some things are said that are worth mulling over here. As we know, Michonne and The Governor will be introduced in season 3, and the action will take place at a fortified prison. Lauren Cohan (who plays Maggie) says, ”From the beginning of this you see completely changed characters.” Laurie Holden (Andrea) teases, “We have the introduction of new characters, some that have been announced, some that have not.” Norman Reedus (Daryl) says that in season 3 “People start losing their minds, love blossoms, and a whole lot of awesome zombie kills [will take place].” Andrew Lincoln (Rick) sums it all up nicely: “The pace of it is darker, harder, faster, deeper.”

From the farm to the prison, The Walking Dead returns this fall on AMC. Bonus! Jump after the break to get a first look at Danai Gurira as the katana sword-wielding Michonne. (Click here for more…)

A friendly reminder: The Walking Dead returns from its extended hiatus tonight at 9PM on AMC. Refer to this previous post for a sneak peek at the midseason premiere episode “Nebraska.” Six episodes will run uninterrupted through March 18. Peer in the gallery below to view a handful of new stills. Also returning tonight is the Walking Dead after-show Taking Dead hosted by Chris Hardwick. Tonight’s guests are showrunner Glen Mazzara and musician Dave Navarro.

Update: The ratings are in and The Walking Dead has done it again. The midseason premiere hit series highs in all major categories: it attracted 8.1 million total viewers, 5.4 million in the adults 18-49 demo, and 4.4 million in adults 25-54. These are record-breaking figures; they managed to beat out the previous record holder–the season 2 premiere of The Walking Dead. The midseason premiere was up 12% and 6% in the two aforementioned demos, respectively. As far as AMC is concerned, this show will remain on the air for much of the foreseeable future. Dead heads, rejoice.

[Images via IGN]

The first half of the second season of The Walking Dead ended with a literal BANG when (spoiler) Rick Grimes was forced to shoot and kill a character that we all thought had gone missing but instead was turned into a deadly zombie. Life is about to dramatically shift on Hershel’s farm when the show returns from its winter hiatus next month. Gander at the official midseason premiere poster hanging above; it shows Rick pointing his revolver squarely at a target, little Sophia perhaps? Next, jump after the break to watch two scenes from the upcoming episode titled “Nebraska.” In the first, two strangers stumble upon Rick and Hershel; in the other Rick and Shane are shown in confrontation not for the first time.

The Walking Dead returns February 12 at 9PM on AMC.

[Via AMCTV] (Click here for more…)

Having been back on the air for only two weeks, AMC has gone ahead and renewed The Walking Dead for a third season. This news really shouldn’t come as a surprise. The season 2 opener drew 7.3 million total viewers and 4.8 million viewers in the coveted 18-49 demographic, a record for basic cable. Heading into the second episode those numbers dropped only a bit to 6.7 million and 4.5 million for total viewers and adults 18-49, respectively. AMC president Charlie Collier had this to say about the renewal. “Today we are pleased to announce that the ‘dead’ shall live as we proudly renew The Walking Deadfor a third season. We are thankful for everyone’s contribution in front of and behind the camera as we continue to make The Walking Dead a unique television experience. And, we are so proud as it continues to set viewership records around the world.”

The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights at 9PM on AMC.

[Via TVLine; EW]

Rick Grimes and company return tonight in the season 2 premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead. There’s a new showrunner in town (season 1 producer Glenn Mazzara has replaced Frank Darabont at the top), but you can expect the epic storytelling and zombie-infested thrills to absolutely remain in tact. If the season 2 trailer that debuted at Comic Con has anything to say, it’s that this time around every aspect of this amazing show is only going to get better. The creative team led by Darabont and comic book originator Robert Kirkman quickly found their footing in the premiere season, introducing the wide range of characters with precision, emotional impact, and top notch storytelling. This time around AMC is allotting the show 13 episodes; if you were wowed by all that went down in season 1 (which contained a 6-episode story arc), we can only imagine what they are going to do with over double the amount of time. After eyeballing the season 2 poster (which rivals the season 1 poster in how awesome it is), it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the survivors will reach Hershel’s farm, an important stop on their journey to salvation as the readers of the comics already know. As a personal aside, I really hope that Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) returns as The Governor!

The Walking Dead returns tonight at 9PM on AMC in an expanded 90-minute episode. FYI, the season will be split in two. Seven episodes will air consecutively this fall and then the show will go on an extended hiatus starting November 4. The remaining six episodes will air beginning February 12 in the new year. Lastly, don’t forget to watch Talking Dead, a live half-hour after-show hosted by Chris Hardwick that will air immediately follow each episode and recap and discuss it. Sunday night is about to become the best time of the week.

Gallery 1 contains shiny character profiles; in the one below that you’ll find stills from the premiere ep “What Lies Ahead.”

Update: The Walking Dead season 2 premiere scared up quite the audience. Check out these record-breaking numbers for a cable program: the premiere at 9PM drew 7.3 million total viewers and 4.8 million viewers in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Compared to last year’s pilot, that’s up 38 percent in total viewers (last year: 5.3 million), 36 percent in 18-49 (3.6 million), and 35 percent in 25-54 (3.1 million). And if you factor in the two encore presentations that followed at 10:30PM and 12:30AM, a grand total of 11 million tuned into the season 2 opener. This marks a series high for AMC’s gory staple.

AMC president Charlie Collier shared his excitement over the big ratings. “The Walking Dead is one of those rare television programs that reaches both a core genre fan as well as broad audiences simply looking for a great, character-based story. That The Walking Dead is now the most watched drama in the history of basic cable is staggering, just like our zombies.”

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[Images via IGN; Deadline]

Today AMC uploaded a six-part web series set in the Walking Dead universe. “Torn Apart” tells the sad tale of how mother-of-two Hannah transforms into the iconic “Bicycle Girl” zombie Rick Grimes is forced to kill in the pilot episode. You know, the one pictured above. The webisodes are directed by Walking Dead FX specialist (and now co-executive producer) Greg Nicotero. Sit back and enjoy this bloody vignette; it’ll surely whet your appetite as the season 2 premiere of the Walking Dead looms. It’s under two weeks away: October 16 at 9PM.

Here are direct links to the webisodes: PART 1 // PART 2 // PART 3 // PART 4 //  PART 5 // PART 6

So you know that feeling after you watch an episode of The Walking Dead and you want to burst out in excitement about just how awesome that episode really was? Well AMC is giving you an outlet to do that. Prepare for (what for it) Talking Dead, a live after-show to be hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (Web Soup, Attack of the Show). According to a press release the show “features Hardwick spending time with fans, actors, producers and tv enthusiasts, recapping that most recent Dead episode, and taking questions and comments from viewers. Fans may continue to engage with the Aftershow following the on-air conclusion, online, at amctv.com for more conversations, questions and trivia.”

Says fanboy Hardwick: “As an enormous fan of both The Walking Dead comic and television show, I pretty much begged for this job. I’m fairly certain I slobbered on the phone while doing it. Dissecting the moves of Rick Grimes and the remaining survivors after every episode is something I would be doing with my friends anyway, so the fact that AMC is actually paying to do so is a bonus. This half-hour after-show gives fans the opportunity to nerd out about the story in a very public forum: what they like, what they don’t like, or what questions they may have. Additionally, it will better inform viewers on making intelligent decisions when faced with the zombie apocalypse which will probably happen sooner or later.”

Adds AMC’s Joel Stillerman: “Fans of The Walking Dead are incredibly engaged with every aspect of the show. They tweet, blog, and post comments in very large numbers, and we wanted to give them an opportunity to interact with the show in a way that they don’t currently have – a kind of live water cooler. And, we knew we needed a great host, and are thrilled to have Chris Hardwick on board. He is genuinely knowledgeable about the genre, and truly entertaining.”

So there you have it. Now here’s how it’ll air. Talking Dead will debut immediately following the encore airing of The Walking Dead season 2 premiere (that is on Sunday, October 16) and then beginning on Friday, November 4th it’ll follow TWD‘s encore at 11PM.

[Via Nerdist; image via Flickr]

At Comic Con 2011 in San Diego, the cast and crew of AMC’s The Walking Dead took the stage to talk about the fantastic new series and reveal season 2. Here are the highlights:

• The panel consisted of actors Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Norman Reedus, Steven Yuen and Jeffrey DeMunn; makeup artist Greg Nicotero; executive producers Gale Anne Hurd and Robert Kirkman; and showrunner/writer/director/producer Frank Darabont.
• Hurd confirmed that The Walking Dead will return Sunday, October 16 at 9PM on AMC. One phenomenal (and lengthy) season 2 trailer was screen twice during the panel; watch it in full after the break.
• Holden said, “If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead graphic novel, I think you’re going to be really happy this season.”
• Kirkman admitted, “There’s a bit of pressure. There’s an expectation now. It’s just made everyone work harder. It’s empowered us to try harder. To cross more lines, to tell bigger stories, knowing that there is a rabid fanbase out there.” He later joked that he’d hire Modern Family‘s Ed O’Neill to play a new character next season if casting were up to him. “My second go-to is John Stamos,” he chuckled.
• Wayne Callies said, “The scripts this season are unprecedented…the best TV scripts I’ve ever seen. This season really shows that the most dangerous things out there are the monsters inside.” Holden added, “Every character is pushed to the max this year. People are going to be so thrilled. The writing is so superb and every script is gold.”
• Little Carl Grimes (played by Chandler Riggs) is going to kick things up a notch, according to Wayne Callies. “I was brought to tears by how proud I am of him,” she said. “He did a scene the other day that I can’t tell you anything about, but it will take your breath away. He is going to blow your mind this year.”
• And where will season 2 pick up? Exactly where you want it to. The October premiere “picks up about five seconds, in an overlap, with the end of the first season,” Kirkman revealed. So there’s none of this bulls–t six months later stuff!” He added, “The plan is not to rush [Rick Grimes' story], just like I did in the comic book series.”
• *Shortly after Comic Con ended, AMC announced that Frank Darabont has stepped away from his showrunner duties for reasons unknown at this time. Walking Dead executive producer and writer Glen Mazzara (The Shield) has assumed Darabont’s duties as #1. An official statement read like this: “AMC is grateful to executive producer, writer and pilot director Frank Darabont whose contributions to the success of The Walking Dead are innumerable.  We continue to discuss his ongoing role with the series.”

Check out the gallery below to view pictures from The Walking Dead panel at Comic Con. Note that security did not allow attendees to take pictures of anything shown on screen.

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(Click here for more…)

Here it is, our first glimpse into season 2 of AMC’s The Walking Dead. The scene follows Rick Grimes as he confronts not one but two zombies. His weapon of choice? A rock.

Watch it again, and then again, and anticipate the premiere coming this October.

Update: Hop after the break to see the new Walking Dead Comic Con poster; it features Rick and the gang of survivors atop the winnebago fending off a horde of zombies. (Click here for more…)

Remember when we got our first look at AMC’s The Walking Dead last June 12? Exactly one year later we get not one but two production stills from the zombie survival series’ second season (catch the other image after the break). The undead never looked so good. Executive producer/director/writer Frank Darabont shares his excitement over the new season. ”At this moment, I’m standing on a stretch of post-apocalypse interstate in Georgia, littered with abandoned cars and blessing my good luck to be reunited with our amazing cast, and our fantastic directors and crew.” The 13-episode second season is set to premiere this October.

[Via IGN] (Click here for more…)