This isn’t surprising news since currently two of AMC’s top shows are either ending (Breaking Bad) or entering their final season (Mad Men) and it’s much easier to spin ratings gold from a goose which keeps on giving as opposed to the trial and error of launching a completely original program.
Here’s the announcement:
AMC announced today that the network is in the initial stages of developing a companion series to its original drama series The Walking Dead, which premiered on AMC in October of 2010. The Walking Dead is currently the #1 show on television among adults 18-49. Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert are on board as executive producers, with AMC Studios set to produce. The companion series has a target on-air date of 2015.
“Building on the success of the most popular show on television for adults 18-49 is literally a no-brainer,” said Charlie Collier, AMC’s president and general manager. “We look forward to working with Robert, Gale and Dave again as we develop an entirely new story and cast of characters. It’s a big world and we can’t wait to give fans another unforgettable view of the zombie apocalypse.”
“After 10 years of writing the comic book series and being so close to the debut of our fourth, and in my opinion, best season of the TV series, I couldn’t be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of The Walking Dead universe,” said Kirkman. “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.”
In addition to Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Hell on Wheels and Low Winter Sun, AMC recently greenlit two new drama series for 2014, Halt & Catch Fire and Turn. The network today began shooting a new pilot, Line Of Sight, directed and executive produced by Jonathan Demme, and has a licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Television for a spinoff series of Vince Gilligan’s landmark Breaking Bad, based on the Saul Goodman lawyer character with the working title Better Call Saul.
Season four of The Walking Dead returns to AMC on October 13. The Walking Dead is based on the comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman and published by Skybound, Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics.
The Walking Dead season three out-delivered everything on television including The Big Bang Theory, The Voice, Game of Thrones, Modern Family, and almost doubled The Bible for the broadcast season for adults 18-49.
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