The Walking Dead cast lined up at San-Diego Comic-Con, only this time not on their knees with a bat looming over them. The question of the hour is who will survive Negan’s wrath?
The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman, already addressed the fate of one character yesterday at a panel that was more comics than TV focused. To the surprise of probably no one, Kirkman said that Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) survives Negan’s bat attack.
Although most things were kept under wraps, here is what we did learn.
1. The cliffhanger
Chris Hardwick, acknowledging fan disappointment, wants to know, “Is [the cliffhanger] worth the wait?” Creator, Robert Kirkman, says, “Yes, and you’ll love it.” Greg Nicotero says losing a cast member(s) in the first episode affected him in a way he didn’t expect.
2. Carol and Morgan
Carol and Morgan’s fate is with those in The Kingdom as seen in the trailer. Carol is definitely role playing again as a cover story. This time out, it seems she’s gone for a mental patient approach.
3. Awareness of Richonne
Scott Gimple says they didn’t think about the impact to society when they wrote Richonne. In the zombie apocalypse the baggage of society is gone, and they are who they are as people first. Gimple says he just saw them as their characters, undefined by race.
Danai Gurira says it’s Okay if people are ruffled by it, because no true change comes without it. We are seeing the evolution of the dark-skinned black woman as more than the “sexless, joking best friend.”
4. Gale Ann Hurd and Greg Nicotero
Producer Gale Ann Hurd says that the world is expanding and getting more complex. They meet more humans, friends and foes. There may be interesting non-human characters as well afoot (like that tiger in the season 7 trailer!). They are doing things that Robert Kirkman never thought they’d be able to do on TV, she says. There will be a look at leadership, benevolent and otherwise, and it’s up for grabs whose style is effective.
Greg Nicotero has new walker designs for season 7 including those who are “blistered and extra crispy.” He is up for whatever impossible challenge Kirkman throws at him.
5. New cast: Meet King Ezekiel
Yes, friends, for those who follow the comics, the Kingdom has arrived complete with a tiger. King Ezekiel will be played a bit younger than in the comics. Scott Gimple says they knew it was all right because “Robert [Kirkman] went bananas when he saw the audition tape.”
6. Negan
To set the tone of the panel, Jeffrey Dean Morgan walked on stage with a bat and was in full Negan character. Andrew Lincoln says Jeffrey Dean Morgan is amazing, and that we are heading to the greatest showdown since Terminus. Lincoln also states that the opener was hard on the entire cast.
7. Glenn’s fate
Comic book fans know that Glenn is the person who meets Negan’s bat quite literally head on. No matter what happens, no spoilers, Steven Yeun considers this show the most amazing time he’s had in acting.
Lauren Cohen says the last year’s final scene was “emotional and physically crazy.” She further states that it was just raw emotion, not a lot of acting.
8. Carl, Michonne, and Rick
The prosthetic missing eye is actually way more comfortable than the bandage that Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl, would have thought. It’s still taking some getting used to with his peripheral vision. Norman Reedus is constantly tapping him on the shoulder faking him out as to where anyone is in his blind spot.
Michonne is enjoying the new step-mom role. She opens up to Rick because there is a deep level of respect and goodness despite his failings. She can trust him on the deepest level — that’s why they are together, and why it took that long.
9. Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, and Sasha
Abraham and Rosita have grown apart. They initially needed each other, but it was a romance of convenience. They have now drifted. Michael says that Sasha is where Abraham’s true heart is now, and he is finally at a point where he can feel it. She is what he truly wants and needs.
Eugene is the every-man. He is who most of us would be in these circumstances. He’s enjoying seeing women Eugene COSplayers
Christian Serratos says the most rewarding thing for her as an actor is the trust level all the actors have. She also loves playing a strong Latina.
10. Chris Hardwick cameo
Hardwick says he’d play a walker if he were to have a cameo, but wouldn’t want to be a recognized character because he thinks it would take people out of the scene.
AMC also announced two “The Walking Dead” special programming events hosted by Chris Hardwick. One of them is The Walking Dead Season 7 Preview Special, which will give fans an early look at what to expect in the upcoming season, including exclusive interviews with the cast and executive producers and behind-the- scenes moments, premieres Sunday, August 14 at 10:00 p.m.
The Walking Dead returns Sunday, October 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
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