The Walking Dead pretty much helped put AMC on the map as a cable network capable of good quality content, and because of that, the network plans on letting the series and any of its spin-offs, prequels and sequels live on forever, much like the undead seen on the show.
Last year AMC gave viewers Fear the Walking Dead, a spin-off series that shows the beginning of the zombie apocalypse on the West Coast, but there's still more out there that the network feels it can explore in that universe.
AMC network head Charlie Collier and programming boss Joel Stillerman recently spoke to Vulture about its plans for The Walking Dead, stating that as far as they're concerned, the expanded universe of The Walking Dead will live forever, much like the ongoing comic book series written by Robert Kirkman.
"The answer to how long the show will go on in some way is directly correlated with the health of the storytelling in the comics," said Stillerman. "Those comics are firing on all cylinders. He still writes every line of dialogue in those books, and is as engaged as he was when I think he was sitting around in Kentucky writing the first issue. That is very much part of the DNA of the show. He sort of felt like, in real life, this goes on for a very long time. We're along for that ride."
Collier stated that the network has no plans of even discussing the end of The Walking Dead.
The two men also discussed Fear The Walking Dead, which they argue isn't really a spin-off.
"If we had taken a couple of characters out of the camp and sent them on the road and followed that — that would have been a spinoff," said Collier. "We didn't do that. We made the decision ... to do a companion series, and, in fact, to show you what was happening in the world when Rick was sleeping in the original series."
Of course, that means looking at options of doing other similar series in the same universe, and both men believe the network is up for it.
"The answer is we are open to ideas that feel organic to the creators in whom we've put our trust," said Collier. "So if Robert had a world he wanted to explore, you can bet that we are not just leaning into that conversation, but we're actively engaging in it."
However, there are no new shows currently under discussion, so AMC plans to keep its focus on just the two series for now.
The Walking Dead returns from its midseason hiatus on Feb. 14 with Fear the Walking Dead season two premiering this summer.
