‘The Walking Dead’ Renewed by AMC for Season 9 – With a New Showrunner
Angela Kang replaces Scott M. Gimple as leader of the writers’ room
Tony Maglio | January 13, 2018 @ 10:18 AM
Last Updated: January 13, 2018 @ 3:20 PM
AMC
Everybody do the zombie leg-drag again: AMC has renewed “The Walking Dead” for Season 9, which will premiere in late 2018.
For the ninth run, showrunner Scott M. Gimple has been named chief content officer of the “TWD” universe. Writer and co-executive producer Angela Kang has been promoted to Gimple’s old gig.
“This is an enormously important day for the entire ‘The Walking Dead’ television universe. We are proud to acknowledge Angela’s significant contribution to the series and to set a clear path forward for a ninth season under her direction. Further, with gratitude and admiration, we also recognize Scott’s broad impact on, and leadership of, the content that fuels our ‘TWD’ universe. Together, we will dream bigger and more broadly than ever before,” said Charlie Collier, president of AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. “I know I speak for Angela, Scott and everyone at AMC when I say thanks most of all to the fans and the many talented people who have helped AMC play ‘Dead.'”
“‘The Walking Dead’ is a special show which started in an entirely different era of TV, and continues, in this new era, to confidently take chances to tell compelling stories that excite audiences and make them deeply connect with its characters, adapting Robert Kirkman’s brilliant comic book,” Gimple added. “As the show closes in on its tenth year, I’m honored to keep working with the talented, dedicated people behind and in front of the camera to make it all it can be, while expanding the world of ‘The Walking Dead’ with new narratives like ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ and a whole host of truly cool stories ahead. Angela is a big part of the heart and soul of ‘The Walking Dead,’ and I’m thrilled to help facilitate her vision of the show’s next era.”
“I am beyond thrilled to be stepping into this new role with ‘The Walking Dead.’ Working on this series and having the opportunity to adapt Robert Kirkman’s amazing comic has been a fangirl dream come true for me,” said Kang, who has been a writer on the show since 2011 and co-executive producer since 2013. “I’m excited to continue working with Scott and the wonderfully supportive folks at AMC, and can’t wait to share the next chapter of the story with our fans next fall.”
Cable’s top TV show “The Walking Dead” hails from AMC Studios.
#BuryYourGays: 11 LGBT TV Characters Killed Off in 2017, From 'Kingdom' to 'The Walking Dead' (Photos)
More than a few LGBT characters met a sad fate on TV this year.
Nate (Nick Jonas), "Kingdom"
After finally coming out to his father (Frank Grillo) in the show's penultimate episode, Nate is shot and killed after getting into a fight with a bouncer.
DirecTV
Martha (Laura Wilson), "The Handmaid's Tale"
Ofglen/Emily (Alexis Bledel) and her lover are both put on trial for "gender treachery," but only Martha is sentenced to execution by hanging for her homosexuality.
Hulu
Eric (Jordan Woods-Robinson), "The Walking Dead"
One-half of the last surviving gay couple on "The Walking Dead," Eric took a shot to the gut in Season 8, dying in his partner's arms.
AMC
Brett (Cody Saintgnue), "Teen Wolf"
Brett's fluid sexuality was only briefly hinted at before the young werewolf was run down by a hunter's car in Season 6.
MTV
Mia (Ashley Greene), "Rogue"
Betrayed by her ex-girlfriend Sadie (Eve Harlow), Mia is shot in the back and left for dead after selling a stolen microchip for $10 million.
Audience
Yasmeen (Medalion Rahimi) "Scandal"
The daughter of President Rashad was hailed as the next Gloria Steinem before she was blown up in a plane explosion at the end of her episode.
ABC
Jukebox (Anika Noni Rose), "Power"
After the crooked cop takes Ghost's (Omari Hardwick) son hostage, she's double-crossed and gunned down by Kanan (50 Cent).
Starz
Eleanor (Hannah New), "Black Sails"
The former pirate ally was killed by a Spanish soldier during an invasion engineered by her husband, the British governor of the Bahamas (Luke Roberts).
Starz
Mr. Kaplan (Susan Blommaert), "The Blacklist"
Mr. Kaplan narrowly escaped death several times before, but the "Blacklist" villain took a dive off a bridge when cornered by police at the end of Season 4.
NBC
Edward Drummond (Leo Suter), "Victoria"
Like his real-life counterpart, Edward died taking a bullet for his Prime Minister, but the ITV drama took some creative liberty by giving him a doomed gay romance with Lord Alfred Paget before his death.