The world of The Walking Dead got a lot bigger in the past couple of seasons due to the introductions of settlements other than Alexandria, including Hilltop, the Kingdom, Oceanside, and the Sanctuary. We've met a fair amount of fresh faces thanks to the new settlements. Now, we've learned of two new characters who are slated to join the series in Season 8, and they'll actually both be recurring good guys.
The first new character being cast is Dillon, who is an attractive young man in his 20s. He comes from a blue collar background prior to the zombie apocalypse, and the end of the world hasn't meant that he's lost his sense of human. Sarcasm is one of his most defining qualities, and it may have even helped endear him to others and prolong his survival. The casting notice for Dillion indicates that the character might be kept around for seasons beyond Season 8, so we can bet that The Walking Dead will put a lot of thought into whoever wins the role.
The second character being cast is listed as Abbud, who TVLine reports is a Muslim American who is fundamentally likable but will bring a major set of baggage with him into the action of the series. He has been on his own for so long in the zombie apocalypse that he's not quite practiced at playing well with others, and his nerves aren't quite what they should be.
Characters by the names of Dillon and Abbud don't appear in the Walking Dead comic series that inspired the AMC smash hit, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they won't be based on comic characters. The show has been known to give fake names in casting notices for the sake of keeping secrets from fans. Negan was once known as "Rich" in the casting process, and Ezekiel was called "Rogers." It's entirely possible that "Dillon" and "Abbud" are simply placeholder names while the show is looking for the right actors.
Unlike Negan and Ezekiel, there aren't really any major Walking Dead comic characters who sound much like the descriptions for Dillon and Abbud. There are a couple of more minor folks who could fit the bill, however. "Dillon" could actually be Dante, who is known for his sarcasm and resourcefulness in the graphic novels. He became close to Maggie at Hilltop, and even became romantically interested in her. While we haven't seen a Dillon or a Dante at Hilltop so far, he could emerge from the background or join the crew anew in Season 8.
For his part, "Abbud" could actually be Siddiq, who hailed from Oceanside before making his way up to Alexandria in the comics. Given the fact that the show's version of Oceanside doesn't actually have any men due to a Negan murder spree, his origin story would have to be at least slightly different, but it could definitely work. Oceanside was the one significant settlement that didn't have a representative in the big Season 7 finale battle, so the odds are pretty good that the survivors there will have a part to play in Season 8.
Unfortunately, there's a chance that we won't get The Walking Dead back in October as usual. There's a potential writers strike brewing that would set The Walking Dead back in some big ways if it actually happens. We can only cross our fingers and hope that the strike doesn't have to begin.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest The Walking Dead news, and don't forget to check out our midseason TV premiere guide and our summer TV premiere schedule to discover all your viewing options now and in the coming weeks. Be sure to drop by our rundowns for cable/streaming and broadcast TV renewals and cancellations as well. Our breakdown of what we know so far about The Walking Dead Season 8 can give you a peek at what's to come when the show returns.
