'Walking Dead' Expansion Plans Revealed: Andrew lincoln to Lead 3 AMC phim chiếu rạp | THR 

Highlights:

"Andrew Lincoln — following his departure Sunday fromthe flagship series — will reprise his iconic role as Rick Grimes in a series of three big-budget, feature-length TV movies for AMC. Gimple is currently writing the first of the untitled series of telepics, with production set to begin in 2019."

"The story of Rick will go on in films," Gimple says. "Right now, we're working on three but there's flexibility in that. … Over the next several years, we're going to be doing specials, new series are quite a possibility, high-quality digital content and then some content that defies description at the moment. We're going to dig into the past and see old characters. We're going to introduce new characters and new situations."

"While details are still being sorted out, the current plan calls for Lincoln to be in production on each movie for two months. That's a far cry from the nine months he spent every year for the past decade filming the series in the Atlanta heat."

"The Rick-centric movies, the executive says, will not be like a bonus or extended episode of the show but rather a "large, big scope movie that will feel like a major motion picture," with a runtime anticipated to come in at around two hours with a feature film-level budget."

"We think this is a franchise that could live across formats. We want to do it carefully, be strategic and do it right. There is a multiple-year plan that could include additional series, digital content and specials. We're looking to broaden this into a universe where the movies that Andy will be in are the highest-profile things that we do."

"Gimple's vision stretches beyond that and includes introducing content with brand new characters, revisiting old fan favorite and obscure ones and, maybe, spinning off others in shows that could run anywhere from 16-episode seasons to short-order miniseries."

"Also on the table: telling earlier stories featuring the returns of fan-favorite characters who are no longer with the series. "I have one of those stories in progress right now," Gimple teases. "[That would] not only give us a chance to work with these wonderful people again but to answer questions about their characters.""

"The first pic will be told from Rick's point of view and explore what Gimple called the "vast mythology" behind the other mysterious community looking for "A or B"-type people. ""

"While content from The Walking Dead universe will all exist in the same world — similar to Marvel's "it's all connected" approach — Gimple stressed that other originals will tell different stories."

Soooo... AMC fights hardcore to not pay its ladies, but will spend a bajillion dollars on the man they have already paid a bajillion dollars? Leave these fuckers behind, Danai!

I'm guessing they have figured out that they are gonna need to do this to explain the massive time jump without Prick returning to Alexandria etc. Because it doesn't make any sense that after all that Prick has been through that he would just accept being shipped off somewhere else while his extended family is in peril.

This also seems to suggest that the JAnnedis storyline is not going to be resolved in the show. I'm guessing they picked up on fan interest in the storyline and decided to milk it. I'm already too frustrated with the dragging out. I'm not watching a handful of movies. I'll just read the synopsis, thanks.

"Also on the table: telling earlier stories featuring the returns of fan-favorite characters who are no longer with the series" - Wasn't this supposed to be FTWD's job? I would be much more excited about how "connected" everything might be if they hadn't ruined FTWD. And given their idea of a "fan favourite" is Morgan, I'm not convinced that any spinoffs will actually be anything of interest to anyone.

Cursed words: "Gimple's vision"

^Yes, yes, yes, agree on everything.

The thing about a zillion spinoffs is that you're spreading your audience too thin. Even just two shows was too much for some fans. And all those web series that went along with them... did anyone actually watch those? 'Cause I know I didn't.

FTWD started out with all new characters, and it took them 3 seasons to hit their stride. AMC then immediately destroyed everything, but the point is, you can't just start a show and expect it to be a hit, even if it's in an established popular universe. So what's probably gonna happen is they're gonna move Daryl to this one, and someone else to that one. The Daryl fans are gonna flock to the Daryl show, because they're already Daryl fans. And that's who the show was made for. Who's gonna start watching a show that has nine or ten seasons worth of back story?

When people jump ship for this character's spinoff, or that character's spinoff, I expect that the original show's audience will dwindle. (For example, I expect missy will go wherever Negan goes and B will go everywhere because she is the TWD Queen but wherever Carol ends up will be her favorite, 'cause duh.) Wars will break out like they did between TWD & FTWD over which show is better, and fans thinking they're better fans for either watching them all or for only being loyal to one. It's just too much.

It's also asking a lot of viewers. The Chicago shows, for example, take up a 3-hour block on NBC one night a week. And frankly, I find it annoying that a television network expects anyone to give them their attention for three hours in a single night. 'Cause they cross over so freakin' much, if you watch one, you're kinda obligated to watch them all. Same with The CW's 30 superhero shows. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Also, I subscribe to an internet TV thang just during TWD Season. I ain't doing that year-round, which is probably what they're going for.

(This will all go out the window as soon as someone I love scores a spinoff, but whatever, for now, it stands.)

I definitely think that given they struggle to get the two shows they have now right then expanding the universe is probably gonna be a huge mistake. I'm really mad that AMC have (comparatively) underpaid so many of the actors (including the Chandler Riggs debacle) and, judging by the lawsuits, crew. And they have a history of restricting both shows' technical budgets (ie their historically shithouse CGI). But now they have a whole buttload of money for a massive universe expansion?

lol yep if they couldn't spread their audience to FTWD even with the help of "fan favourite" Morgan, then expanding the universe is a pretty dumb idea, practically. I would indeed follow Negan anywhere, but I ain't keeping track of multiple tv shows and movies. The only thing I watch that has occasional cross-overs (and by that I mean maybe they've done it twice?) is NCIS and when that happens they do it pretty simply. I can't imagine TWD taking the 'simple' path, because they never have before.

I'm also assuming they'll stagger the shows throughout the year. So basically there will be no TWD off-season anymore (omg I think this is Bibi's doing! XD) and it'll be year round TWD shows following different characters. I got sick of TWD just writing that sentence. People do need a break. Some of us need a LONG break from it.

The other thing is that in NZ, TWD airs on a free-to-air channel, and FTWD airs on a subscription channel (then re-aired much later on a free-to-air channel owned by the same subscription service). So here there are no connections between TWD and FTWD because of they were bought by competing networks. This year FTWD was not aired on the same day as the US (compared to season 3 which was) and aired in a timeslot against a lot of established competition. Season 3 had enjoyed a lot of promotion, but season 4 did not. I'd be surprised if we get season 5 at all next year. So since, internationally, multiple networks can bid for individual TWD-verse projects, we will either a) get even more fragmentary access to even more shows, or b) AMC will consolidate and require international networks to buy a much bigger TWD package, which could mean that some of us will end up with no (legal) access to any TWD content. I'm just feeling like this is AMC's big push to build a super-mega-empire off the back of TWD and they have the real potential to try to grab the cash by consolidating and restricting access to the shows. That tactic will not work for them.

Sorry for more rants but this news is alarming. I mean, a lot of people have been suggesting the show should come to an end soon and yet AMC seems to be more than doubling down... it's weird...

All that said, I want a #NeganMovie !