The Walking Dead's second spin-off in 'active development,' says AMC boss

The Walking Dead franchise has recently faced plenty of setbacks at both primary and secondary levels, with beloved cast members leaving the original show and video game spinoffs underperforming so badly that contracts were cut short. Couple that with ever-declining ratings for the programs on AMC and it’s no wonder that those behind the zombie property are seeking new avenues. Rick is headed to the movies and now we know that there’s at least one more TV spin-off in the works.

Today, AMC Networks held its conference call for 2018’s fourth quarter, and the future of the franchise was a hot topic of discussion. According to The Wrap, AMC chief operating officer Ed Carroll explained that a new spinoff from The Walking Dead, the second after Fear the Walking Dead, “is in active development.”

“We’re not yet at a stage where we’ll be announcing its plans to premiere,” Carroll said. “But we have hired creative people that have pitched story outlines. We feel very good about the development of that series.”

The franchise is in desperate need of new blood as viewership has consistently fallen for the main show — and recent plot developments have taken leaps and bounds with the timeline in order to both deal with departing stars and reinvigorate the story.

As The Walking Dead’s video game interests have collapsed and the films are still in the nebulous future, a new series could position AMC similarly to HBO, which is following the end of Game of Thrones with its own shows set in the same universe.

The Walking Dead is currently airing its ninth season while Fear the Walking Dead will debut its fifth later this year.