Glad to hear that this is the plan as this was what they probably should have done at the end of season 8. The group we have been following since season 1 has run its course. They are getting to the point to where the 'B' and 'C' characters are the main characters of the show due to all these people wanting to leave (and I have a feeling Cohan only signed up for a handful of episodes given this news).

The anthology series where they show all kinds of different characters should be interesting as that is probably more suited to what the TWD franchise needs right now (expand the world and not overuse one particular group).

Have to say I am a little surprised that Norman Reedus and Melissa Mcbride are going to do a whole 'nother series. I figured that they would be the ones most ready to leave since they have been doing it so long. But on the other hand I guess it is guaranteed steady work for them. I think this might pretty much confirm that Andrew Lincoln is done though and we probably won't be seeing anything more than mere cameos from him from here on out.

 

Can’t say I’m heartbroken about this news. Zombies are old school now, just like vampires had their day a few years ago. Norman and Melissa need something new to do. I predict something virus-related will become the new monster genre.

 

Daryl and Carol spinoff???

 

Good point.

 

Can we get a Judith and daryl spinoff instead?

 

People will get their older man protecting a young kid during an apcolaypse fix in the Last of Us series.

 

I like the daryl judith dynamic currently in the show. Also, if Daryl and Carol leave the group, does that mean Judith dies? We can't have that

 

With Commonwealth coming up they will have an easy out to end certain characters stories in that they can simply say they are staying at Commonwealth.

 

I wonder if walkers will evolve in the coming years...regaining some intelligence? being able to speed walk? partially cured?

 

Falling in love (like in Warm Bodies).

 

Melissa surprised me, but not Norman. He really enjoys the role and the fanbase of TWD.

 

I don't think they'll go World War Z on us. The pattern has been to show walkers in increasing levels of decay.

I wish they had planned the endgame a few years back and we could've had a better conclusion for a number of characters.

 

Yeah with them choosing to end the show now makes it look completely like a ratings decision. The costs of the show are continuing to go up yet the show probably isn't bringing in nearly as much as it was during seasons 5 and 6.

They won't have to pay new actors as much as they would have to pay actors who have been on the mainline show for five or more years and they can make the newer shows smaller in scope.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the franchise will end once TWD is done. I don't care about FTWD, World Beyond, the Rick movies that will probably never see the light of day, or any other spin-off series. I don't see the point of them expanding the universe when ratings clearly show that people are sick of the franchise and zombies in general. It's a dying genre.

 

I bet the pandemic played a role too. The continuity of the show was disrupted and I guess it got them all talking about how to end the original story.

 

maybe not, they didn't say if they'd be alive or if they'd be walkers roaming about