Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira are officially returning to The Walking Dead universe.
During the mothership show’s final appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, the stars who left the series made a surprise appearance to reveal they have a spinoff in the works, according to Deadline.
The series will wrap up the arcs of Rick Grimes and Michonne.
“The latest TWD spinoff will present an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world,” according to Deadline.
“Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were,” it continues.
“Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead… And ultimately, a war against the living.”
“Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they’ve ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors?”
“Without each other, are they even alive — or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?”
The Walking Dead Universe’s Chief Content Officer Scott M. Gimple will serve as showrunner for the series, with Lincoln and Gurira as EPs.
Said Gimple, chief content officer for the franchise: “Rick and Michonne are two of my favorite people, and Danai and Andy are two of my favorite people.”
“Working with all of them continues to be a dream come true. “The three of us, along with a terrific team of [Walking Dead] all-stars and incredible new voices,” he added, “are crafting an insane love epic worth the long, long wait.”
Six episodes have been ordered for the project, and unlike the other new shows, this one is definitely six episodes.
The original plan was for Rick and Michonne to segue into a trilogy of movies, but now, the story will be told on AMC.
“I can’t wait to get my cowboy boots back on,” Lincoln said during the surprise appearance.
The decision is a surprising one, but this limited series has been rumored for months, with many beleiving the movies would see the light of day.
Lincoln exited during The Walking Dead Season 9, with Gurira exiting a season later as her character followed a lead to Rick’s whereabouts.
News of this new limited series marks the sixth series set in TWD universe, after the mothership, Fear, World Beyond, and the upcoming Tales of the Walking Dead and a Daryl-centric series.
The final season of the main series is set to wrap in November.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
