Photo: Kevin Winter (Getty Images)
Bad news for fans of the ever-popular platonic zombie-killing power couple (circa 2015-dating): TVLine is reporting that the previously announced Walking Dead spin-off series, centered on fan-favorite characters Daryl and Carol, is just getting its Carol has lost.
That’s right: Actress Melissa McBride created so much cultural buzz for The Walking Dead itself and finally saved the franchise. That means McBride appears to have left the planned series, leaving behind Norman Reedus, who plays the lovable crossbowman Daryl Dixon, as the full lead of the show.
Despite rumors that the loss of the Carol character (which was spun through various heroic and anti-heroic flavors over the Mothership show’s 12-year run) was a creative decision, AMC has claimed it’s simply a planning issue since McBride is apparently unavailable to travel Europe to film the untitled series.
Hey, it’s network speaker time:
Melissa McBride has brought to life one of the most interesting, real, human and beloved characters in the The Walking Dead universe. Unfortunately, she is no longer able to be a part of the previously announced spin-off, which focuses on the characters Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier and is set and filmed in Europe this summer and premieres next year. A move to Europe became logistically untenable for Melissa at this point. We know fans will be disappointed by this news, but The Walking Dead Universe continues to grow and expand in interesting ways and we really hope to see Carol again in the near future.
The Carol and Daryl spin-off was originally announced back in September 2020 as the original Walking Dead geared up for its very slow-moving final season, which is set to wrap up sometime this year. The show would be the Walking Dead’s fourth narrative spin-off, following Fear The, World Beyond and upcoming anthology series Tales Of The.