Fear the Walking Dead has now wrapped up its seventh season, with former star Kim Dickens officially reentering the fold as Madison Clark, and viewers have been completely in the dark on when the next chapter of the Dead universe would make its way to AMC. Such wondering is now a thing of the past, as the network has unveiled not only the premiere date for the upcoming anthology spinoff Tales of the Walking Dead, but also a crop of first-look images showing off new stars like America’s Got Talent host Terry Crews, as well as the lone confirmed franchise star to be returning, Samantha Morton.
First things first, Tales of the Walking Dead will premiere on AMC on Sunday, August 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET, with the first two episodes being available for streaming on AMC+. The six-episode season will each have its own focus and tone, along with an obvious change of cast members from one to the next.
One of the newest TWD-verse recruits whom fans can anticipate watching is The Boys star Jesse T. Usher, as seen above, who will go from playing the fastest man on the planet (arguably) to presumably one of the only people left on the planet. And if this character is also fast, he would technically be one of the fastest people in existence, but it’s probably not a time for superlative brags. It might be time for a bandage though, as Usher’s survivor appears to be rocking a pretty gnarly head wound.
Another high-profile addition for Tales of the Walking Dead is the more comedically geared Terry Crews, who’s best known for popping his pecs on Brooklyn Nine-Nine (which he already wants to revive), and for being wowed by unpredictable performances as the host of America’s Got Talent. I can only hope his episode allows him to still tap into his comedic genius, even if he’s under potentially fatal duress the entire time. He’s sporting a pretty stern face in the pic, though, and he’s looking pretty responsible with his helmet and all. Terry loves headgear.
Another exciting first look image from Tales of the Walking Dead’s initial batch is Samantha Morton’s return, though this shot appears to be from a time before the Alpha side of her personality took over. The proof is largely in the fact that she has hair, but it’s strengthened by the character looking emotionally downtrodden, as opposed to “amped up to lead a cult of skin-wearing freaks.” Considering The Walking Dead delved into the character’s backstory already ahead of her eventual death, I’m intrigued by what new information will be gleaned from the spinoff episode. I also hope it bounces across the timeline, so that viewers will be able to see Alpha proper in some way, and extra points if Ryan Hurst’s Beta is part of the equation.
If Terry Crews doesn’t get to be comedic during his episode, there’s no question that laughs are imminent when it comes to the installment starring Workaholics vet Jillian Bell and all-around queen Parker Posey. I need this episode in my life like nothing else that The Walking Dead could deliver, save for Robert Kirkman’s comic book series returning from the dead. And at least I know Bell and Posey’s ep is actually happening.
Better Call Saul vet and Hacks star Poppy Liu is also at the center or one of Tales of the Walking Dead's new images, or I guess she's a bit right of center. In any case, she doesn't exactly look welcoming of whatever her eyes are locked onto outside of the picture's borders. I mean, it's possible she's just reaching for a banana but it's a bit more likely that she's going for a weapon. It appears as if her left arm has already been weaponized in a way, too.
Top Gun: Maverick is currently tearing it up in theaters, with part of its narrative focusing on the distant aftermath of Goose's death in the original film, it's the perfect time for a new look at actor Anthony Edwards within Tales of the Walking Dead, where his character clearly had better luck at surviving than Goose did. It looks like he has one of the Ghostbusters' proton packs on his back, so I'm intrigued to see what it actually is.
Speaking of Top Gun: Maverick, we also have our first looks at the film's co-star Danny Ramirez (who's also the MCU's potential new Falcon) alongside The Originals vet Daniella Pineda. They look pretty worried in the above pic, and I doubt it's because the room they're in feels too warm and safe. Such as it goes in the post-apocalypse.
Remember to mark your calendars for Tales of the Walking Dead’s big premiere on AMC on Sunday, August 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET, with AMC+ subscribers able to access the first two episodes that same night. While waiting for more zombified fun, head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are hitting the small screen soon.
