Did the killer ending of Sunday's Game of Thrones episode have you thirsting for more undead battle action? You're in luck, because the Walking Dead spinoff will be here before you know it. On Monday, Robert Kirkman announced that Fear The Walking Dead will premiere in August on AMC. The specific premiere date has not been released at this time, but at least we know that we don't have long to wait. Unless Kirkman is trolling fans, which is a legitimate concern. Update: AMC announced at San Diego Comic-Con that Fear The Walking Dead will premiere August 23.
However, TVLine confirmed earlier this year that the spinoff would air in "late summer," and August makes a whole lot of sense. If I were to narrow down a guess, I'd say that we'll see the spinoff in early or mid-August, so as not to come too close to Season 6 of The Walking Dead, which will most likely premiere again in mid-October. The first season of Fear the Walking Dead will have 6 episodes, so that timing fits. Not only that, but a second season ofthe companion series has already been ordered and will premiere in 2016.
Also announced on Monday was some additional casting news for the series. Deadline reports that Sandrine Holt will play Dr. Bethany Exner. She is best known for The Returned. Other cast members include Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Mercedes Mason and Rubén Blades. The actors are all relatively unknown, just like the series they originated from. I get the sense that we're going to be in for another strong ensemble series.
The difference, of course, is that Fear The Walking Dead is a prequel of sorts. The companion piece takes place during the beginning of the Walker outbreak, when Rick Grimes was still in a coma. The characters on The Walking Dead are all weathered after living with this reality for years. This time, there will likely be a heightened sense of both urgency and hope as they struggle to understand what's going on.
The show will also take place in Los Angeles and the surrounding area rather than Atlanta. At first, I rolled my eyes at this news. What, was the Georgia heat too much for the AMC crews? However, now I'm getting more and more excited to see what a post-apocalyptic West coast looks like compared to the rural Southeast. Think of all the differences now between those two regions in terms of attitude, climate, and transportation. Add the end of the world, and you've got a fascinating study.
We know very little else about the series. One promo made passing reference to flu shots — isn't that always how these things start? Another promo for AMC's 2015 lineup, which you can watch below, shows us a glimpse of man running in fear... presumably of the walking dead. He's got an open shirt and long blonde hair, so I have decided to call him West Coast Daryl. Who's with me?
At the end of the day, the mystery surrounding this show just makes it all the more exciting. I can't wait until August to see what's in store for Fear The Walking Dead!
Images: AMC (screengrab); Giphy
