We are now seven weeks away from the premiere of the tenth season of The Walking Dead, which ironically is set about ten years after the zombie apocalypse began. In other words, the timeline for fictional series — which debuted in 2010 — is currently running parallel to reality’s timeline. In describing the upcoming season, AMC also acknowledges Rick Grimes, but suggests that the future of The Walking Dead is one inhabited by a “new generation” of survivors who essentially have Rick Grimes to thank for their survival:
The Walking Dead is a story that started 10 years ago with one man trying to find his family. That family grew and gradually communities took shape. They fought and survived, thrived and gave birth to a new generation. It is a tale of humankind and there are more stories to tell.
Interestingly, that tracks with the end of Robert Kirkman’s comic books, which lays out a world in which zombies are no longer a threat, but in which civilization owes its survival to Rick. Of course, in the tenth season of The Walking Dead, Rick Grimes is still very much alive (although, no longer a part of the series), and while zombies are still a threat, the much bigger one are other humans, specifically The Whisperers, who wear zombie masks and use zombie hordes as both weapons and as a means of protection.
The tenth season takes place in the Spring after the fall of The Kingdom and the deaths of Henry, Enid, Tara and others at the hands of Alpha and The Whisperers. “The collected communities are still dealing with the after effects of Alpha’s horrific display of power, reluctantly respecting the new borderlines being imposed on them, all while organizing themselves into a militia-style fighting force, preparing for a battle that may be unavoidable.”
During that tenth season, we’ll also meet a few new characters: Gemma, played by Thora Birch; Virgil, played by Kevin Caroll; and Dante, played by Juan Javier Cardenas, who will “play a pivotal role in Alexandria” in the tenth season.
Seven weeks ahead of the premiere, here are ten new images from the tenth season of The Walking Dead set ten years after the zombie apocalypse.
There are a few interesting finds among the pics. In the wake of The Kingdom’s fall, former Kingdommers are no longer wearing body armor, so Dianne’s new appearance is striking. Siddiq can be seen carrying his baby with Rosita (though, presumably Rosita is still romantically involved with Gabriel); and Negan is out of prison and gardening.
The Walking Dead returns for its tenth season on October 11th. In the meantime, the fifth season of Fear the Walking Dead returns this Sunday.
