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Eli Smith | | Page 57
As one of the most talked about shows on television, it’s somewhat surprising that the AMC network knows little to nothing about the future plot of The Walking Dead. In addition to knowing so little, they have even less input.
Ironically, writer, producer, and fanboy Scott Gimple will get angry if Kirkman talks about the future of the comics. He doesn’t want to know what happens next. This is particularly ironic on a show this successful with such an enormous fanbase.
The Walking Dead | Photo Credit AMC
The End of The Walking Dead
“I know exactly how it ends, and I’m always taking baby steps towards that point as I’m telling the story,” admits creator Robert Kirkman to Entertainment Weekly. “I know what the end point is, and at the end of the day, I want this entire long narrative to be a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end.”
“We’re just spending a lot of time in the middle, so I know of have to know what that direction is, and I have to know what the end point is to be able to keep building towards it. I think that’s the only way to keep it alive.”
Despite knowing everything, Robert Kirkman has managed to keep this information a secret from the network. The producers, actors, and executives have no idea what will happen next on the show.
“There’s no communication whatsoever. They have no approval of what happens in the comics, so they’re kind of 100 percent in the dark, which I guess is pretty remarkable,” adds Kirkman. “I would probably say it’s a testament to the trust that AMC has in me.”
While he’s mentioned several times that “no one is safe,” the writer has also recently commented on the potential death of Rick, where he has said, “It’s not happening for a long, long time.”
Many fans are worried about their favorite characters because of Negan. He seems to be the ultimate killer this season, living within his own code that often means the death of others. Negan could kill anyone on the show and feel justified.
The Walking Dead | Photo Credit AMC
Writing Negan this Season
“When I run out of ideas for Negan, I’ll just kill him,” admits Kirkman, which is one of his famous non-answers as that could mean this season and five seasons down the road. Kirkman then spoke on Negan’s death in the series:
“Negan was supposed to die at the end of the ‘Something to Fear’ arc. He was originally supposed to be in the book for only four or five issues… It was supposed to end when Maggie takes over the Hilltop. Rick was going to deliver Negan’s head in a box to Maggie to say, ‘I’m sorry’.”
It’s difficult to say which direction Kirkman will go next, but it sounds a lot like there are several years of television to come. Since we know that each episode is building upon something, however, fans shouldn’t have to worry about a weak build-up or an unsatisfying ending, unlike Lost for example, where most fans were disappointed after committing years to a series.
Whatever happens on The Walking Dead, we’re in Kirkman’s hands.
