The Walking Dead has become a massive franchise since debuting on AMC back in 2010. Since then the show has become a sensation with two spinoffs and even plans for a movie. Said movie will bring back Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, and is intended for a full theatrical run. But with the entertainment industry at a halt amid global health concerns, fans are left wondering where the untitled project stands. Luckily now the movie's producers have spoken about the current state of The Walking Dead's first movie.
While in-person fan conventions have been cancelled this year, plenty of properties are crafting virtual events to break news. The Walking Dead comics come from Skybound Entertainment, which is hosting its own virtual convention called Skybound Expo. During this, Walking Dead producers David Alpert and Robert Kirkman addressed the status of the Rick Grimes movie. Alpert said:
We're coming along in a big way. We're just in this particular space where we have [to wait]. We can't shoot right now, so that's just the big thing holding us back.
Well, there you have it. It looks like the untitled Walking Dead movie is one of the many film projects on hold amid the pandemic. David Alpert was careful not to reveal anything specific about the highly anticipated project's development, but it's clearly being affected by current events. Namely because production couldn't start even if they wanted to.
The announcement of The Walking Dead movie and its impending theatrical release, especially since it'll star Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes. Lincoln was the leading actor of the apocalyptic drama for its first nine seasons, before departing the show in order to take new opportunities. But Rick will eventually be back, as he survived his near death experience and is taken onto a helicopter with Anne to unknown destinations.
Later in Skybound Xpo, Robert Kirkman reassured The Walking Dead fandom that Rick Grimes' movie is still being worked on, despite its inability to begin production. As he explained,
There’s tons of stuff going on behind the scenes. I don’t want anyone to think that we’re just kind of waiting around for this pandemic to end. I would say that, if anything, the pandemic is going to make a lot of movies better. I think the Rick Grimes movie chief among them, just because we’re getting a lot more time to cook this thing and make sure it’s perfect. But when things do quiet down, you guys are going to hear a ton more about this movie.
Well, that's a relief. Because while the public is in the dark regarding The Walking Dead movie's contents and eventual journey to theaters, the producers and studio are still working on Rick Grimes' big screen debut. The fans will just have to patiently wait as the ongoing global health concerns continue to halt TV and film productions alike.
Narratively (and geographically) it seems like Rick Grimes' movie could go seemingly anywhere. No details about the movie have been revealed, although actress Pollyanna McIntosh is expected to reprise her role as Jadis/Anne. Last season of The Walking Dead also seemingly opened the door for Danai Gurira to appear as Michonne, as she found out that Rick was alive and left Alexandria in search of her husband. Fingers crossed we get to see the Black Panther actress back on the big screen with her signature sword.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on the Rick Grimes movie as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
