In an unsurprising move, given that Season 4 has opened to record numbers, AMC has announced that they will be renewing The Walking Dead for a fifth season. The adaptation of the long-running Image Comics series debuted to over 16 million viewers on the cable channel, more when including delayed and online views, and has maintained high numbers across the first three episodes.
The official press release confirms Scott Gimple as return showrunner, as well as plans for a spin-off series in the near future.
AMC announced today that it has renewed The Walking Dead for a fifth season. The number one show on television among adults 18-49, The Walking Dead returned for a fourth season earlier this month and the premiere episode set a new record for the series, delivering 20.2 million viewers, live+3, and 13.2 million adults 18-49, a new record for any non-sports cable telecast.
“We are very happy to make what has to be one of the most anti-climactic renewal announcements ever: The Walking Dead is renewed for a fifth season,” said Charlie Collier, AMC president. “This is a show that has erased traditional distinctions between cable and broadcast. Its expanding base of passionate fans has grown every season, most recently — and most notably — with the season four premiere earlier this month, which broke viewership records for the series and became the biggest non-sports telecast in cable history. On behalf of the incredible team on both sides of the camera, thank you to the fans and here’s to more Dead.”
For Season 5, Scott Gimple will return as the series’ showrunner along with executive producers Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, Greg Nicotero and Tom Luse. AMC also recently announced that it is developing a companion series to The Walking Dead, based on a new story and new characters from Robert Kirkman.
Meanwhile, the first season of Telltale’s episodic video game adaptation was a huge success, both critically and commercially, so it’s also no shock that they’ve announced a second season of episodes as well. It’s available now for preorder, and they also confirmed The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series – Game of the Year Edition will include all five episodes in the first season, the 400 Days DLC, and access to the series’ original score and exclusive behind the scenes video.
We can confirm today that The Walking Dead: Season Two – A Telltale Games Series continues Clementine’s story. Not only that, you’ll actually PLAY as Clem, struggling to outwit both the dead and the living in situations that will test your morals and shape the flow of the story through your decisions and actions. Assuming the role of an orphaned young girl left to her own devices in the undead apocalypse, this is a season that will challenge your expectations of how to find safety and survive in a world where no one can be trusted.
Check out the trailer below (you may be asked to confirm your age):
