The Walking Dead is an American zombie apocalypse media franchise centered on a number of television series based on the comic book of the same name.

In January 2010, AMC ordered a pilot for The Walking Dead, based on the comic book of the same name and developed by Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd.

[9][10] Beginning with its third season, The Walking Dead attracted the most 18- to 49-year-old viewers of any cable or broadcast television series.

[11] In September 2013, it was announced that Robert Kirkman, creator of the original comic book, Hurd and Dave Alpert would create a companion spin-off television series featuring a new set of characters.

[14] The second crossover occurred when Austin Amelio reprised his role as the reformed Savior Dwight in the show's fifth season.

[16][17][18] The second season featured the franchise's third crossover, with Pollyanna McIntosh reprising her role as Jadis from The Walking Dead.

The series starts at the onset of the zombie apocalypse, and follows several people that escape Los Angeles as the military attempt to quarantine the city, and seek refuge along the west coast of the United States and Mexico.

[45][46] Similarly, Dwight, played by Austin Amelio, joined Fear the Walking Dead for its fifth season in 2019.

[47] In April 2019, AMC officially announced it had ordered a 10-episode limited series created by Scott M. Gimple and Matthew Negrete.

[50][51] The series stars Aliyah Royale, Alexa Mansour, Annet Mahendru, Nicolas Cantu, Hal Cumpston, Nico Tortorella and Julia Ormond.

[56] In March 2022, AMC officially greenlit Isle of the Dead, starring Cohan and Morgan as their characters Maggie and Negan respectively.

[59] A spinoff series created by Angela Kang and Scott M. Gimple to star Reedus and McBride as their characters Daryl and Carol, respectively, was also announced in September 2020, with plans to air in 2023 after the conclusion of the eleventh season of the main show.

[65] Following the departure of Andrew Lincoln (who portrayed the main character of Rick Grimes) during the ninth season of The Walking Dead, chief content officer Scott Gimple stated that three AMC original films would explore events related to Rick's character in the future.

Besides Lincoln, Danai Gurira (Michonne) and Pollyanna McIntosh (Jadis / Anne) were also slated to star in the films.

Gimple stated that the three films would not simply be extended episodes and would not attempt to adapt any of the comic books, but would heavily involve Kirkman in their development.

[68] At the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that the three films were being reworked into a six-episode miniseries starring Lincoln and Gurira.