It’s been almost nine years since The Walking Dead debuted on AMC, and the violent franchise has only continued to grow in scale. Over the years, the original series grew into a pop culture phenomenon, with Fear The Walking Dead exploring new locations within the zombie apocalypse. A third series is currently being developed by AMC, as well as a movie starring Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes.
During San Diego Comic-Con, it was revealed that the untitled Rick Grimes movie would actually be heading to theaters, rather than the small screen. This was a big surprise to the fandom, and it appears that the franchise might be looking at other characters to give the movie treatment. According to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the villainous Negan is one of those survivors whose name is being thrown around. As he tells it:
Well, that’s exciting. Negan has been a fascinating character sine he was first introduced by killing Abraham and Glenn in that clearing in Season 7. During the recent time jump, the villain was given a softer side, especially with his relationship with Judith Grimes. It’s been a wild arc, so he seems like a great character to give a movie.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s comments to Comic Book are sure to elicit a strong reaction from fans of The Walking Dead— both on the page and screen. Negan is the best villain the show had since The Governor, and he’s still a major part of the ever-evolving cast. His arc from murderer to prisoner to uneasy ally has allowed Jeffrey Dean Morgan to play out a full gamut of emotions. And he could go even deeper with a potential movie.
It stands to reason that The Walking Dead franchise might be thinking about giving Negan a movie, as Jeffrey Dean Morgan is already a bonafide movie star. He’s notable for his roles in Watchmen, Rampage, and P.S. I Love You, in addition to his myriad TV appearance. So it would make sense that a studio would put a big budget movie on his shoulders, if a Negan film actually moved forward.
Of course, the possible Negan movie is far from official/confirmed. Jeffrey Dean Morgan simply revealed that there’s been some discussion regarding his signature character, the possibility of giving him a movie of his own. When that might occur is unclear, but Morgan did joke about getting too old to play the bat-wielding villain.
Smart money says that the possibility of another Walking Dead movie (Negan or otherwise), depends on the performance of the Rick Grimes movie. It’s a major experiment to give the upcoming project a theatrical run, one that could cost the franchise a lot depending on the budget. Can the franchise be adapted for the big screen? We’ll just have to wait and see.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on the Walking Dead movie as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.