As we approach the premiere of the fifth season of The Walking Dead, AMC has announced that it has officially placed a pilot order for the long-gestating companion show / spin-off to the hit zombie series. It will be produced by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman alongside Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert, with Dave Erickson (Marco Polo) co-creating and co-writing the pilot with Kirkman.
“Almost from the beginning of The Walking Dead on AMC, fans have been curious about what is going on in the zombie apocalypse in other parts of the world,” said AMC president Charlie Collier. “In fact, beyond requests for zombie cameos, it’s the question I get asked the most. Obviously, we all take our stewardship of the original franchise incredibly seriously and we, along with Robert, Gale, David and now Dave, are all proceeding with extreme care in order to ensure that we are offering fans something truly compelling, engaging and distinct.”
“There are many corners of The Walking Dead universe that remain unseen in the shadows,” adds Kirkman. “Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill.”
Production on The Walking Dead companion show pilot is set to get underway later this year.