The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman, discusses his thoughts on the future film featuring protagonist Rick Grimes, noting that the story will differ from the AMC show. The popular series, which has garnered a ionate cult following during its run, debuted in 2010. Heavily leaning into horror and drama, the show centers on an eclectic group of survivors as they navigate the vicious aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Sheriff’s deputy, Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, dons the mantle of leadership for several seasons.
In the beginning of the series, Grimes awakens in an abandoned hospital in Georgia and quickly finds himself confronting a nightmarish new reality, one where the undead populate the earth. He eventually reunites with his wife and son who have ed a small community of survivors. For the next nine seasons, Grimes grapples with an evolving code of ethics as he tries to maintain savvy and often ruthless control over his environment. By the end of the ninth season, a helicopter whisks Grimes away to alleged safety, his fate unknown. Lincoln’s portrayal of the morally grey character often received praise from fans and critics alike, who appreciated his nuanced, heartbreaking depiction of a man in crisis.
In an interview with ComicBook.com, Kirkman shared his views on the end of the show and the narrative possibilities for the future project starring Grimes. Although there are no concrete updates regarding its release, Kirkman assessed the ways in which the film would ostensibly depart from the television series, saying:
I think that the show is very much an ensemble story and this is very much Rick story. So, I think being able to focus more on Rick as a character and do more with him is really cool. I think it's gonna be a very different kind of Walking Dead story, which is really exciting. You know, when you're doing something like this you have to make sure that it makes sense for it to be a movie. This isn't just some kind of expansion of what you're expecting from the show. This is something that's gonna be very different but it's gonna be the Rick Grimes that we all know and love. And I'm very excited for people to finally see it when it's released in 2032.
The final season, which premieres later this year, promises to be a hotly anticipated pop culture affair. The show’s wide-ranging popularity has already led to other spinoffs, including Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. When it comes to life after the series, fan-favorite characters, Daryl and Carol, have already received the greenlight for another spinoff focusing on their new, zombie-infested adventures. The reports of a slate of films targeting Grimes also continue to elicit excited buzz from viewers hoping to stay immersed in Kirkman’s world.
Although Grimes’s future is up in the air, his story remains a key touchstone of the broader narrative anchoring The Walking Dead. A feature film certainly offers the space to dive into his solo experiences, as well as the emotional aftereffects of abruptly being separated from his found family. Whether or not it truly takes ten years to reach the screen, the life of Rick Grimes is a compelling opus that many fans will eagerly return to visit once the opportunity presents itself.
Source: ComicBook.com
