AMC's long-awaited spinoff of mega-hit The Walking Dead got its official title today. According to franchise mastermind Robert Kirkman, the title is ...
Fear the Walking Dead — as has been rumored for months.
Fan reactions on Twitter are decidedly negative, but those same reactions also strikingly devoid of better ideas — or ideas of any kind.
It's mostly just grumbling — and if we're being honest, isn't that what Twitter does best?
After all, what else were they going to call it? AMC needs to hold onto the words "walking" and "dead" for branding purposes. Would you prefer The Walking Dead Too?
IT'S OFFICIAL! The walking dead companion show on AMC is called FEAR THE WALKING DEAD! Expect more news very soon! #FearTheWalkingDead
— Robert Kirkman (@RobertKirkman) March 27, 2015
Here's what we know about the show so far.
Although it seems obvious, we'll say it anyway to erase any doubts: Fear the Walking Dead takes place during the same zombie apocalypse as The Walking Dead. The difference comes from the setting and the time frame. Fear stars a new cast of characters located in Los Angeles, where they'll witness the zombie outbreak firsthand — unlike the flagship series, which jumped forward in time past it by several months — and then eventually catch up with the original show's timeline. None of its storylines will come from the comics. It will feature all-new stories written just for this series.
Fear will center around four characters (at least at first) that come together via a common high school.
• Sean Cabrera: a divorced teacher, played by Cliff Curtis
• Nancy Tomkins: a guidance counselor, played by Kim Dickens
• Nick Tomkins: Nancy's teenage son who's addicted to drugs, played by Frank Dillane
• Ashley Tomkins: Nancy's level-headed daughter, played by Alycia Debnam-Carey
The first season of Fear the Walking Dead will fill in part of the gap between the flagship show's fifth and sixth seasons, debuting late this summer. The Walking Dead is expected to return immediately after Fear's season finale in an arrangement similar to ABC's Agent Carter filling hiatus time for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fear's first season, much like its progenitor's, is just six episodes long. However, AMC has already committed to at least two seasons.
And yes, crossovers between the two shows are a possibility for the future.
AMC will air the first trailer for Fear the Walking Dead during the Season 5 finale of The Walking Dead on March 29, 2015. What do you think of the title?
Update: Fear the Walking Dead's first trailer that aired during The #WalkingDeadFinale
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