Rick Grimes might not be long for The Walking Dead world after all. The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman addressed the growing talk that the show he created may be losing its main character sometime during its next season.
Big changes have been teased for Season 9, but Rick leaving the show would certainly be the biggest. New cast members are coming in Season 9, as is a time jump. But the worst kept secret of the season is that it’s almost certainly the last for Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln.
Those involved in the show were reluctant to address Lincoln’s potential departure, but on Thursday The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman finally talked about the fact that his main character is leaving the show. But as the show’s October premiere date looms closer someone had to address the growing certainty that the show will lose Rick.
Kirkman was interviewed by Kevin Smith in an IMDB interview that was released on YouTube on Thursday and, when asked about Lincoln’s future, admitted “it’s looking that way” that Lincoln is leaving soon.
“He cares about the fans. He cares about the show deeply. He wants to do something special on the way out. We have something amazing planned. I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, but anybody who has been a fan of his journey, who loves Rick Grimes, who loves the world of The Walking Dead, you’re going to want to see what we do.”
It certainly sounds like a confirmation that Rick is leaving the show. Kirkman talked about Lincoln as a “human” who has spent a lot of time away from his family filming the show over the years, which also indicates some thought has been given to this for some time. The Hollywood Reporter said on Thursday that AMC has not commented on the video, so they might remain mum on the topic until the show airs this fall, but it seems increasingly likely that this season will be Lincoln’s last.
