OK, let’s all face it: The Walking Dead season 9 spoilers are everywhere. It’s going to be a huge season for the post-apocalyptic series. If you don’t want any spoilers, skip the section below on what we know so far about The Walking Dead season 9, because we’ll be addressing those huge show changes directly.
So what can you expect from The Walking Dead season 9? You know there’s no Carl. You probably know there’s a new showrunner for the series. You might have even heard about two major cast members leaving. Where does that leave us? Here’s everything we know about the upcoming season walker-infested TV series so far.
What to expect from The Walking Dead season 9
This is where you’re going to want to skip ahead if you want to avoid spoilers for the upcoming season. Everything’s going to change in The Walking Dead season 9. Andrew Lincoln, who brings life to Rick, has confirmed that he’ll be leaving the show at some point during the season. Even worse, we know Rick is going to die, since the creators have been very open about that since the beginning, and Rick doesn’t survive in the comics upon which the series is based.
For Lincoln, it came down to timing. In several interviews, he made it clear that the story arc should always come before the characters. No character has ever been safe on this show, and the upcoming season will really hammer that home for fans. Lincoln also explained that the filming has been taking a toll on his personal life. His family lives in Europe, and he’s spent most of the past eight years in American on set. He wants to spend some time with his family now, and we think he’s more than earned it.
It’s looking like they’re going to make Rick’s efforts to unite the different communities become his ultimate downfall. We saw how poorly it went during the All Out War story arc, and Rick hasn’t really changed. After all, he still let Negan live after all the terror the bat-wielding villain wreaked on their community and friends. A teaser released at this year’s Comic-Con hints that these efforts will be a large part of The Walking Dead season 9 (don’t worry, you can watch it below).
From a more practical point of view, you can expect the show to be in the future when the first episode of The Walking Dead season 9 starts. The newest season kicks off several years after All Out War, when the communities of Alexandria, Hilltop, The Kingdom and The Sanctuary seem to be flourishing. Don’t get too comfortable, though, since we’re going to see the arrival of The Whisperers and perhaps Maggie as a new villain.
The Walking Dead season 9 cast
But Andrew Lincoln parting ways with his walker-bashing role isn’t the only major upset coming this season. After a difficult negotiation process, Lauren Cohan is returning for season 9 as Maggie, but only some of it. Her new show, Whiskey Cavalier, is getting started soon. Apparently her exist will be opened ended, so she might appear in later seasons, but she may never be a season regular again.
You’ll be missing some other familiar faces once The Walking Dead season 9 launches. Chandler Riggs as Carl will be missing, along with Steven Ogg’s Simon (who was killed off my Negan last season) and Lennie James’ Morgan, who made the jump to Fear The Walking Dead earlier this year.
But the rest of the core cast will be back, at least for parts of the season. That means plenty of small screen time with Andrew Lincoln (Rick), Norman Reedus (Daryl), Danai Gurira (Michonne), Melissa McBride (Carol), Alanna Masterson (Tara), Christian Serratos (Rosita), Josh McDermitt (Eugene), Seth Gilliam (Gabriel), Ross Marquand (Aaron) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan).
You might also recognize a familiar name in the end credits this upcoming season. Michael Cudlitz, who played the now-dead Abraham, will be joining the crew as director.
The Walking Dead season 9 trailer
The official trailer for The Walking Dead season 9 isn’t out yet, but there is something to tide you over. See the communities flourishing and Michonne talking about setting up a solid foundation of working together in the teaser released during Comic-Con:
The Walking Dead season 9 release date
You’ll see all the drama kick off when The Walking Dead returns in October. Mark your calendars now because the first episode of The Walking Dead season 9 premieres on October 7.
