Nearly a year after first teasing fans with plans for a Walking Dead spin-off, AMC has finally put in a pilot order for the project. The network didn’t go all the way and order a full series though, just telling the show’s creators to get to work on the pilot.
Back in September 2013, AMC first announced plans to produce a ‘companion’ series to the main Walking Dead, which has become the biggest scripted drama on television. Robert Kirkman, who wrote the comics, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert are set to be the executive producers for the new show, which will follow a different group of zombie apocalypse survivors.
According to Deadline, the pilot was written by Kirkman with Marco Polo’s Dave Erickson, who will also be credited as co-creator with Kirkman.
“There are many corners of The Walking Dead universe that remain unseen in the shadows,” Kirkman said in a statement. “Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill.”
The new Walking Dead series will start production later this year and hopefully start in 2015.
AMC could use another series to bet on, since Mad Men is ending and Breaking Bad already finished. Breaking Bad is living on though with its own spin-off, Better Call Saul, which also starts next year. The network has also renewed TURN and Halt and Catch Fire.
The Walking Dead’s fifth season starts on Oct. 12.
image of Norman Reedus courtesy of INFphoto.com