The Walking Dead may have started its zombie apocalypse due to a fictional virus that caused the dead to start walking, but now a real-life pandemic is causing the delay of the upcoming Season 10 finale. Although the finale of the tenth season of AMC's zombie apocalypse juggernaut was scheduled to air on April 12, AMC has revealed that the episode won't be finished in time. In fact, fans may have quite a while to wait before getting to see how Season 10 was supposed to end.
AMC shared what's happening on the Walking Dead front in a statement (via Variety):
Current events have unfortunately made it impossible to complete post-production of ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 10 finale, so the current season will end with its 15th episode on April 5. The planned finale will appear as a special episode later in the year.
The Walking Dead evidently completed filming for all 16 episodes of Season 10, but post-production wasn't completed when the show came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. Episodes of The Walking Dead undoubtedly require significant effects in post. The decaying looks and snarling of the zombies must take a lot of time and effort, not to mention the stunts! Another TV show ran out of episodes prematurely for the same reason, but at least AMC could reveal the plan for the finale.
Unfortunately, AMC did not reveal the plan for just when the finale will appear as a special event other than that it will happen in 2020. A lot presumably depends on when the coronavirus spread slows enough that shows can return to production and The Walking Dead can finish its finale.
Considering AMC postponed the premiere of The Walking Dead: World Beyond from its intended series debut following The Walking Dead's Season 10 finale, I'm guessing the special broadcast of the finale will coincide with the launch of the latest spinoff in the franchise. While the delay in the finale will undoubtedly be frustrating to fans, it may at least mean a Walking Dead fix in the middle of a longer-than-usual hiatus.
Production on Season 11 might not be able to begin as early as intended; a special episode event later this year could be a good thing. And it's not like Walking Dead fans have no experience with frustration after nearly ten full seasons! The news of the delayed Season 10 finale comes shortly after The Walking Dead said goodbye (for now, at least) to Danai Gurira as Michonne with an episode packed with crazy moments.
The Walking Dead joins a slew of television shows with 2019-2020 seasons interrupted due to the coronavirus. Some weren't even able to finish filming their episodes for the season, leaving them in a stickier situation than The Walking Dead. The coronavirus halting productions will likely continue to impact the industry in the 2020-2021 TV season as well, with broadcast television possibly becoming more like streaming.
The good news is that The Walking Dead Season 10 hasn't already run out of episodes. Two more installments remain, with Episode 14 airing on March 29 and Episode 15 on April 5. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the TV and movie fronts as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect showbiz.
