Isle of the Dead: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan to Star in The Walking Dead Spinoff

Isle of the Dead: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan to Star in The Walking Dead Spinoff

AMC has officially greenlit a new spinoff series set in the world of The Walking Dead. The new series titled Isle of the Dead will follow two characters from the flagship series with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) as they join forces for a new adventure as fans get ready to say goodbye to the long-running flagship series.

The new series will premiere on AMC+ and AMC in 2023 with a six-episode premiere season. The series will follow Negan and Maggie in “a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror.”

 Eli Jorné joins the project as series showrunner and executive producer. Jorné has previously worked on multiple seasons of the flagship series as a writer and co-executive producer and currently has an overall deal with AMC Studios.

Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks, gave the following statement when announcing the new series:

“This is a very big day for the expanding universe we are building around The Walking Dead. It not only adds another compelling series to this collection, it extends our storytelling around two unforgettable characters fans have grown to love, hate or hate and then love in Maggie and Negan, brilliantly inhabited by Lauren and Jeffrey. It also lets us explore a corner of this universe located on the island of Manhattan, with an iconic skyline that takes on a very different meaning when viewed through the lens of a zombie apocalypse.”

Scott M. Gimple added on the statement by saying:

“Eli has created a chaotic, beautiful, grimy madhouse of the dead for Negan, Maggie, and fans of the show eager to discover an unseen and insane world of the TWD Universe. Lauren and Jeffrey have always been fantastic collaborators and now, we bring that collaboration to the next level with a series that will take these characters to their limits with the world — and each other. All of us are thrilled to take you on an all-new, all different TWD epic for the ages.”

Cohan, who has played Maggie since Season 2, had this to say of the spinoff:

“I’m thrilled to partner with Dan McDermott and the team at AMC on the next chapter in The Walking Dead Universe. Maggie is very close to my heart and I’m excited to continue her journey against the iconic backdrop of New York City, alongside my friend and collaborator, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Eli Jorné has created something incredibly special and I cannot wait for the fans to see what we have in store for Maggie and Negan.”

Morgan, who joined the series in Season 6 as the fan-favorite villain from the comics, added:

“I’m delighted that Negan and Maggie’s journey continues. It’s been such a ride walking in Negan’s shoes, I’m beyond excited to continue his journey in New York City with Lauren. Walkers in an urban setting has always been such a cool image, but 5th Avenue, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty? The greatest city in the world?? The backdrop is amazing, but it’s the story that Eli Jorné cooked up that is even better. Buckle up folks, Isle of the Dead is going to reinvent the TWD Universe. Huge thank you to Dan McDermott, Scott Gimple and AMC for having us back for more… we simply can’t wait.”

No other details have been revealed of the series, but stay tuned as more becomes revealed.

Source: AMC