AMC Announces "Walking Dead" Companion Series
Sep 16, 2013
by Liz Raftery


AMC is developing a companion series for "The Walking Dead" to launch in 2015, with Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert acting as executive producers.

Network boss Charlie Collier called the spin-off a "no brainer." "We look forward to working with Robert, Gale and Dave again as we develop an entirely new story and cast of characters," he said in a statement.

"It's a big world and we can't wait to give fans another unforgettable view of the zombie apocalypse."



Added Kirkman, who authors the comics on which the show is based:

"I couldn't be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of the Walking Dead universe. ... The opportunity to make a show that isn't tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing."



Season 4 of "The Walking Dead" premieres on AMC on Sunday, Oct. 13.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Walking-Dead-Companion-Series-AMC-1070377.aspx

AMC Orders Pilot for "The Walking Dead" Companion Series
Sep 5, 2014
by Sadie Gennis


AMC has ordered a pilot for "The Walking Dead" companion series, the network announced Friday. Production will begin later this year.

The project is co-created and co-written by Robert Kirkman and "Sons of Anarchy's" Dave Erickson. Kirkman will act as showrunner and executive producer alongside "Walking Dead's" Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert.



The companion series will be set in a different location and will feature an entirely new cast of characters.

"There are many corners of The Walking Dead universe that remain unseen in the shadows," Kirkman said in a statement. "Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill. I know the fans are anxious to hear what Dave and I have been cooking up for this new universe of The Walking Dead, and I'm happy to be one step closer to sharing it with them."



"The Walking Dead" will return for Season 5 on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 9/8c on AMC.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/AMC-Walking-Dead-Companion-Series-Pilot-1086623.aspx

"The Walking Dead" Companion Series Casts First Two Actors
by Matt Webb Mitovich
December 2, 2014


"The Walking Dead‘s" companion series has started building its cast.

British actor Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Aussie actress Alycia Debnam Carey (McLeod’s Daughters) are the first to board the AMC project, which is set during the same "zombie apocalypse" that Rick, Daryl et al are dealing with, but in a different geographical location.

The as-yet-untitled series revolves around a male teacher and a female guidance counselor; per our sister site Deadline, Dillane and Debnam Carey will play the latter’s drug-abusing son and ambitious daughter.

http://tvline.com/2014/12/02/walking-dead-spinoff-cast-dillane-debnam-carey/

"The Walking Dead" Companion Series Casts Cliff Curtis as Male Lead
by Matt Webb Mitovich
December 4, 2014


"Gang Related" alum Cliff Curtis will head up a new “crew” as the male lead in "The Walking Dead‘s" upcoming companion series.

Per our sister site Deadline, Curtis will star as a divorced teacher who endeavors to do right by everyone in his life. The female lead, playing a guidance counselor (and mother to Frank Dillane and Alycia Debnam Carey), has not yet been cast.

http://tvline.com/2014/12/04/walking-dead-companion-series-cast-cliff-curtis/

"The Walking Dead" Spin-off Setting Revealed
by Michael Ausiello
December 16, 2014


The zombie apocalypse is spreading to the Left Coast! One of the key unanswered questions surrounding AMC’s in-the-works "The Walking Dead" spin-off — where will it be set? — can now be revealed.

TVLine has learned exclusively that the potential series (the pilot of which will be shot in early 2015) will be based in… Los Angeles. Yep, the zombies are going Hollywood.





AMC promised that the spin-off will shed light on a new, previously unseen corner of the zombie apocalypse — perhaps one where the living outnumber the undead.

“Almost from the beginning of The Walking Dead, fans have been curious about what is going on in the zombie apocalypse in other parts of the world,” AMC President Charlie Collier said in September.

There's a rumor floating about that the spin-off will be a prequel of sorts set in the early days of the outbreak and the attempts to contain it.





The still-growing cast includes Cliff Curtis (Gang Related), Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Aussie actress Alycia Debnam Carey (McLeod’s Daughters).

An AMC rep declined to comment or confirm anything beyond ordering the pilot.

http://tvline.com/2014/12/16/the-walking-dead-spinoff-los-angeles-setting-spoilers-l-a/

http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/nobody-shuffles-the-walking-dead-spinoff-is-coming-to-los-angeles-lock-up-your-soon-to-be-undead-celebrities/

"A 'Walking Dead' companion series is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of the city’s trademark postapocalyptic feel,” says Mark Lisanti, "the forbidding, provincial disconnectedness of its many beautiful neighborhoods, and its perpetually abandoned sidewalks — nobody shuffles anywhere, the old saw holds. And could there be a better temporary bulwark against the collapse of society than the walls of a studio lot? No, there could not.” PLUS: All the details on the prequel so far (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/walking-dead-prequel-details-758378).
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#qgMAQMrwsWbSFDHX.99

Gone Girl Actress Kim Dickens Joins "The Walking Dead" Spin-off
by Esther Zuckerman
Dec 23, 2014


Kim Dickens, who played suspicious detective Rhonda Boney in Gone Girl, has been cast in "The Walking Dead" spin-off, EW has confirmed.

Deadline first reported that Dickens had been cast as the female lead in the pilot, which takes place in the same zombie-infested universe as the original series. Cliff Curtis has been tapped as the male lead.

Per Deadline, Dickens will play a guidance counselor in a relationship with Curtis’s character.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/12/23/kim-dickens-walking-dead-spinoff/

AMC's "The Walking Dead" Spinoff Snags Two-Season Order, Premiere Date
by Michael Ausiello
March 9, 2015


AMC’s "The Walking Dead" spinoff officially has a pulse — and a strong one at that.

The cabler announced Monday that it has greenlit the still-untitled offshoot for not one but two seasons, with the first six episode season launching in late summer.

The series, which will be set in Los Angeles, stars Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane and Alycia Debnam Carey.





“We feel empowered by this two-season commitment, a serious show of faith from our network partner AMC,” exec producer Robert Kirkman said in a statement.

“I personally take it as a sign that they believe, like we do, that we’ve accomplished our goal of developing something original that can pay tribute to the original show and expand the world I created while at the same time having something new to say with this story. I’m very grateful that we now have the opportunity to tell this amazing story and show the fans that we really haven’t scratched the surface yet when it comes to The Walking Dead.”





Added AMC prez Charlie Collier:

“We take incredibly seriously the notion of building a satisfying companion series to the number one show on television. From the beginning of The Walking Dead on AMC, we’ve been asked questions about what was going on in other parts of the zombie apocalypse, and what it looked like as the world really did ‘turn.’

Through this new series, we’re going to find out. Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson and their writing team, along with an incomparable set of producers, cast and crew have created something remarkable and clearly distinct. We respectfully follow the request of Monty Python as we bring out (the latest of) our Dead.”

http://tvline.com/2015/03/09/walking-dead-spinoff-premiere-date-season-order/

Looking foreword to seeing this!

"The Walking Dead" Spinoff Title Revealed
by Andy Swift
March 27, 2015


Look alive, zombies! The upcoming spinoff of AMC’s "The Walking Dead" — which has already received a two-season order — can finally be referred to by name.

Creator Robert Kirkman spilled the beans Friday on Twitter with the following simple — yet internet-exploding — tweet:

"IT'S OFFICIAL! The walking dead companion show on AMC is called FEAR THE WALKING DEAD! Expect more news very soon! #FearTheWalkingDead"





The official logo was also revealed:

https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/fear-the-walking-dead-logo.jpg?w=620&h=358

http://tvline.com/2015/03/27/fear-the-walking-dead-spin-off-title-revealed-amc/

I'll still watch despite that awful title.

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The title is too close to the original series title and could cause some confusion. But the new show does sound interesting.

The title is too close to the original series title and could cause some confusion. But the new show does sound interesting.

I've seen others refer to the spin-off as "Fear", which I think is good when talking about original vs. spin-off.

Fear The Walking Dead: what we'd like to see in the spin-off (http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-walking-dead-spin-off/34725/fear-the-walking-dead-what-wed-like-to-see-in-the-spin-off)

I've seen others refer to the spin-off as "Fear", which I think is good when talking about original vs. spin-off.


Calling it "Fear" or maybe "Fear the Dead" would keep people from mixing the two shows up so easily. I do like the idea of a spin-off and I'm looking forward to watching it.

"The Walking Dead" Spin-off Casts "Orange is the New Black" Actress Elizabeth Rodriguez
by Kimberly Roots
April 30, 2015


What’s scarier: prison politics or the zombie apocalypse? "Orange is the New Black‘s" Elizabeth Rodriguez has been cast in AMC’s "Walking Dead" spinoff, "Fear the Walking Dead", EW.com reports.

Details about Rodriguez’s character reportedly are being kept under tight wraps.

http://tvline.com/2015/04/30/fear-the-walking-dead-elizabeth-rodriguez-cast/

Mercedes Masöhn Joins AMC’s "Fear the Walking Dead"
by Nellie Andreeva
May 7, 2015


Mercedes Masöhn is set as new regular on AMC’s upcoming series "Fear the Walking Dead", which has a two-season pickup.

I hear Ruben Blades is in talks to play her father.

http://deadline.com/2015/05/mercedes-mason-cast-fear-the-walking-dead-amc-1201422460/

Ruben Blades Joins AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead"
by Denise Petski
May 18, 2015


Ruben Blades has closed a deal for a series regular role on AMC’s upcoming "Fear the Walking Dead", which has a two-season pickup.

Blades will play Daniel, the father of Mercedes Masöhn's character.

http://deadline.com/2015/05/ruben-blades-cast-fear-the-walking-dead-the-walking-dead-companion-series-1201429353/

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Sandrine Holt Joins AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead"
by Denise Petski
June 1, 2015


"The Returned" star Sandrine Holt has landed a recurring role on AMC’s upcoming "Fear the Walking Dead" as Dr. Bethany Exner, a confident and skilled doctor.

http://deadline.com/2015/06/sandrine-holt-cast-fear-the-walking-dead-amc-the-walking-dead-1201435819/

"Fear the Walking Dead": Exclusive Photos and Intel from Robert Kirkman
by Dalton Ross
6/4/15


Later this summer, AMC will debut its new "Walking Dead" companion series, "Fear the Walking Dead" — and we’ve got some exclusive new images from the show right now, along with intel from "Walking Dead" creator Robert Kirkman.







http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/b4da69f6-0263-4c6e-b186-7c0fbf90420a_zpsdjp0sonf.jpg


Here we see Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) with her boyfriend Matt (Maestro Harrell). Just how close are Alicia and Matt, and what will happen to their relationship with the zombie apocalypse hits? We’ll have to wait to find out, but Kirkman gave us some bonus intel on Alicia, who is the daughter of Kim Dickens’ Madison:

“Alicia is your atypical teenage girl. She excels at school. She’s on her way to college. She’s very self-sufficient. She’s very self-reliant. She’s kind of the model student and the model child.”




But as Kirkman tells us, Alicia’s brother is far from the model child.

“In the face of that, we’ve got Nick — who is played by Frank Dillane — who is pretty much a parent’s worst nightmare. He has flunked out of college, had a lot of trouble, got mixed up in some bad elements, and is definitely the problem child. And it’s exacerbated for him to be next to this perfect sister who seemingly doesn’t have anything going on in her life that is negative. But that’s not really the case, that’s just his perception.

So you have these two siblings that are very much at odds with each other. They love each other because they are brother and sister, but to a certain extent it’s almost like they are each other’s worst enemies because one is screwing things up while she’s trying to achieve things and get on to the college, and the other one is seeing her as this reminder of everything that he can’t be. So it’s an interesting dynamic.”









http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/fb88cec6-2f10-4ea0-9c32-b82dc0134658_zpszaoc9ku5.jpg


Kirkman also shared some scoop about Alicia and Nick’s mom, Madison, whom you can see in this photo:

“Madison is a character whose husband died. And she’s been raising her kids on her own, so she’s a character that has experienced a very abrupt change to her life that she has had to adapt to. So there’s an inherent strength in this single mother that makes her in some ways uniquely adapted to live in the zombie apocalypse.

And I think Kim has shown that if you want to have a strong female character, a no-nonsense strong character — but with a lot of warmth, because its hard sometimes to find an actress that can have those two things and can be this leader and also have this warmth and this kindness to her—that’s something that Kim is very capable of.”









http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/6476c6c3-d8b9-426f-aee7-64da0fb4dafb_zpsbnpmp3rt.jpg


Then there’s Madison’s boyfriend Travis, played by Cliff Curtis. Here’s what Kirkman has to say about the character and the man who plays him:

“Travis is a character that represents a sense of stability in Madison’s life, and so he’s really 100 percent on board. With the craziness of her life, he’s her rock. He’s her foundation. He’s come into this and become a part of her life and definitely is someone she’s leaned on. He’s definitely got a darkness to his past. There are some interesting revelations to come with him, I’ll just say that. He is finding himself torn between Liza, his ex-wife, and Madison.”

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/04/fear-walking-dead-exclusive-photos-intel-robert-kirkman

Colman Domingo Joins AMC’s "Fear the Walking Dead"
by Denise Petski
June 10, 2015


Colman Domingo has booked a recurring role on AMC’s upcoming "Fear the Walking Dead".

He will play Strand, a smart and sophisticated man with a mysterious past.

http://deadline.com/2015/06/colman-domingo-cast-fear-the-walking-dead-1201440675/

Shawn Hatosy Joins "Fear the Walking Dead"
by Denise Petski
June 16, 2015


"Southland" star Shawn Hatosy has booked a recurring role on AMC’s "Fear the Walking Dead".

He will play a well-intentioned but out of his element military man with a soulful disposition.

http://deadline.com/2015/06/shawn-hatosy-cast-fear-the-walking-dead-the-walking-dead-1201444873/

http://www.ew.com/sites/default/files/i/2015/06/29/fear-the-walking-dead-poster.jpg

"Fear the Walking Dead": Exclusive New Photos and Intel from Showrunner
by Dalton Ross
7/1/15


The debut of "Fear the Walking Dead" continues to inch closer, like a fresh zombie taking its first reanimated baby steps. Fine, that was a terrible analogy, but the point is that "The Walking Dead" companion series’ arrival in August now doesn’t seem so far away. Especially when we keep getting new looks at the cast.

We now have three exclusive new images along with some scoop from showrunner Dave Erickson.







http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/2b176706-ed54-46f7-9e43-77e6f3a86357_zpsdhgmiyll.jpg


Here we have Alycia Debnam-Carey, who plays high-achieving teen Alicia. She’s standing on the eerily-empty bleachers of her high school.

Where is everyone? Whom is she meeting? And why isn’t that person there?







http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/26e8e771-c4e8-4f99-a56f-78b8588b2050_zpsankivkpz.jpg


http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/e9ecd3cd-b3fc-487a-9a62-605f9412379a_zpspo7i4csm.jpg


Here we have Kim Dickens (as widowed guidance counselor — and Alicia’s mom — Madison) and Cliff Curtis (as high-school teacher — and Madison’s boyfriend — Travis) looking ever so pensive.

Showrunner Dave Erickson tells EW that the characters — as opposed to the zombies — in this show will be key, and we’ll get a bit of time to meet them in their normal lives before all hell breaks loose.



“Ultimately, it’s a family drama,” says Erickson. “One of the things that Robert Kirkman and I discussed from the very beginning was, we’re starting a little earlier in the apocalypse. And what that allowed us to do in the pilot and season 1 is establish our core family, establish the problems and the conflicts that they have, and really let that be the initial world that we live in.

And we layer in the onset of the apocalypse, we layer in our first walkers, but it’s really an effort to exacerbate the problems that already exist with Kim Dickens’ character and Cliff Curtis’ character and their sort of dysfunctional blended family. It’s really filtering the apocalypse through that.”

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/29/fear-walking-dead-exclusive-new-photos-and-intel-showrunner

"Fear the Walking Dead" @ Comic-Con: California Setting, Early Outbreak Vibe Yield "Incredibly Different" Tone
by Vlada Gelman
July 10, 2015



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"Fear the Walking Dead" is not its mothership — and not just because the apocalypse doesn’t arrive ’til the end of Season 1.

Socioeconomics, the role of law-enforcement, and good-old fashioned California dreamin’ (or, rather, the California lifestyle) all play key roles alongside a budding population of walkers, the show’s producers teased at the show’s Comic-Con panel on Friday.





The AMC spinoff, debuting Aug. 23, will have a “distinctive and different” feel from the series that launched it, executive producer David Erickson described. The City of Angels is “a place of reinvention. That plays through most of our characters,” who have done things they’re not proud of.

“Tonally, it’s incredibly different,” the EP continued.





Since the first season takes place during the span of two or three weeks while "The Walking Dead‘s" Rick was in his coma (for 45 weeks), “It’s the shark you don’t see. We don’t get to full apocalypse until the end of the season. That’s not to say we don’t have walkers. It starts as a family drama, and we filter the apocalypse through that.”

During the early stages of the outbreak, “There’s a great sense of tension and apprehension,” Erickson previewed. “At first glance, they don’t know what this is. They think they’re sick, they’re on something… We get to show the process by which the city goes down.”





The ensemble will also have a different dynamic, especially as events take their toll on the characters. While Rick seemed like a natural person to take charge on "Walking Dead", “people you expected to be leaders might not make it,” executive producer Dave Alpert teased. Meanwhile, others who appear likely to crumble will surprise viewers.

Added EP Greg Nicotero: “The circumstances change people, and what they change those people into is fascinating.”





But will Rick & Co. ever cross paths with the spinoff cast?

“There are no plans right now to conflate the two stories,” Erickson replied. “I think Scott Gimple would kill me if I ever pitched that idea. Geographically, it would be quite difficult.”



Los Angeles’ sprawling landscape and diversified economic and cultural classes will factor into the series, which will explore the expectation that money can buy your survival and that the authorities will come in to protect the masses.

Meanwhile, what’s happening in Burbank is not necessarily what’s happened on the other side of the city in Brentwood, Erickson described. But most of the action will be centered in east LA.

http://tvline.com/2015/07/10/fear-the-walking-dead-comic-con-2015-season-1-spoilers/

http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w594/JamesGrec3/Fear_zpsc1bqwwaa.jpg

Exclusive New "Fear the Walking Dead" Art Shows Core Family Together
by Dalton Ross
7/21/15


In this new image, we see dating couple Travis (Cliff Curtis) and Madison (Kim Dickens) along with Madison’s children Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and Nick (Frank Dillane).

They look a bit confused and a bit concerned. Why? Because they’re looking at zombies, for crying out loud! At least one must presume that. And they probably have no idea what zombies even are at this point because "Fear" picks up right as the apocalypse hits.

Like I said, confusing. And concerning.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/20/fear-walking-dead-new-photo

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