The Walking Dead’s Melissa McBride is leaving her AMC spinoff series starring Norman Reedus
- McBride, 56, has left a Walking Dead spinoff series set to air on AMC
- She would have helmed the show with her Walking Dead co-star Norman Reedus
- A statement from AMC claimed it refused to film the series in Europe
- The Walking Dead is currently in its eleventh and final season
- McBride and Reedus are the only characters remaining from the first season
AMC’s post-walking dead plans received a major shake on Wednesday when it was reported that longtime star Melissa McBride had departed from an upcoming spin-off series.
The 56-year-old actress – who currently stars in the ongoing eleventh and final season of The Walking Dead – will no longer be co-starring with her co-star Norman Reedus, TVLine reported.
A statement later in the day from an AMC representative claimed McBride would not be able to relocate to Europe, where the as-yet-untitled series was set to film.
She’s out: The Walking Dead’s Melissa McBride, 56, will no longer be starring with Norman Reedus in an upcoming spinoff series, TVLine reported Wednesday; Seen in Hollywood in 2019
McBride and Reedus are the only characters from The Walking Dead who have stayed with the series since its introduction in the first season.
According to the outlet, the spin-off will now focus solely on Reedus’ character Daryl Dixon, though it’s unclear if McBride’s character, Carol Peletier, will get clearance for either the original Walking Dead or the spin-off.
An AMC representative claimed that McBride’s international filming goal for the series was untenable.
“Melissa McBride has brought to life one of the most interesting, real, human and beloved characters in the The Walking Dead universe,” they told the publication. “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.
Too big: An AMC representative claimed McBride could no longer move to Europe for an extended period of time to film the series, which is also set on the continent; with Reedus on The Walking Dead
“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 spinoff series, first announced in September 2020, was co-created by Scott M. Gimple — former Walking Dead showrunner and current Chief Content Officer of the Walking Dead universe — and current Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang.
Kang is expected to continue show running duties in the new series.
“It’s bittersweet to bring it with you [the flagship series] over, but I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Scott Gimple and AMC to develop a new series for Daryl and Carol,” she said in a statement when the series was announced. “Working with Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride has been a highlight of my career and I’m thrilled that we can continue to tell stories together.”
Still kicking: She and Reedus are the only two season one stars to have stayed with The Walking Dead (pictured)
The Walking Dead Universe features a variety of ongoing and upcoming spinoff projects.
The first spin-off, Fear The Walking Dead, recently wrapped its seventh season, and the universe is expanding with another spin-off centered on Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s villain-turned-antihero, Negan, and Lauren Cohan’s fan-favorite character Maggie as well as an anthology series titled Tales of the Walking Dead.
Andrew Lincoln, The Walking Dead’s original lead actor Rick Grimes, was also slated to star in a number of spinoff films after leaving the series in season 9, but so far these are still in development.
Although McBride will not join the new series, AMC’s statement leaves open the possibility that her character could join later in the series.
More to come: The show’s universe also has an upcoming spin-off starring Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan), as well as the anthology Tales Of The Walking Dead; McBride and Reedus were spotted out in San Diego, California in 2019.