AMC Announces Initial Casting for ‘Tales of the Walking Dead’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It really is a tough time to be a fan of The Walking Dead Universe right now. Because endings are everywhere in this franchise. For The Walking Dead: World Beyond has come to a close, and we are inching closer and closer to the end of the phenomenon that is The Walking Dead. And what is making these endings so difficult is that it really did seem as though every iteration of this franchise was going to last forever and give us what we crave for decades on end. 
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But alas, all good things must come to an end to properly appreciate them and their meaning and the TWD Universe isn’t quite done with its storytelling just yet. After all, there are other shows in development in this franchise and in an effort to remove some of the cloud hanging over the end of TWD, earlier today AMC Networks announced some of the initial cast and crew that will be assembling and starring in, Tales of the Walking Dead, and well… without further ado, here are all the details on who is joining the cast and stepping behind the camera (so far) of this new show, courtesy of AMC.

‘AMC Networks announced today initial casting for “Tales of the Walking Dead,” the highly anticipated new series in the expanding universe and franchise around “The Walking Dead.” Anthony Edwards (“Inventing Anna,” “WeCrashed”), Parker Posey (“Lost In Space”), Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Poppy Liu (“Dead Ringers”) and Jillian Bell (“Rough Night”) will star in the AMC Studios-produced episodic anthology of six original, standalone stories focused on both new and established characters within the walker apocalypse. Haifaa al-Mansour (“Good Lord Bird,”
“Motherland”), Deborah Kampmeier (“Star Trek: Picard”) and Tara Nicole Weyr (“The Wilds,” “Bosch”) will each direct one episode with series producer Michael Satrazemis (“The Walking Dead,” “Fear the Walking Dead”) set to direct three episodes. Executive produced by Scott M. Gimple, chief content officer of the Walking Dead Universe and showrunner Channing Powell, who has been a writer and producer on “The Walking Dead” and “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Tales” debuts this summer on AMC and AMC+.

“Anthony, Jillian, Terry, Parker, and Poppy are the first wave of singular talents who will further expand the Walking Dead Universe into harrowing, hilarious, heartfelt, and horrifying new realms and we couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the family, along with these terrific directors.  More announcements, more wonderful folks to come,” said Gimple.

“We’ve worked hard to create unique, interesting and unexpected characters for both old and new TWD fans, and I’m thrilled that these are the actors who will bring them to life. I can’t wait for you to see the depth, drama, terror and, yes, humor they bring to the screen,” said Powell.

“The Walking Dead” and other series in the Walking Dead Universe continue to be top titles on the AMC+ streaming service, both in terms of usage and new subscriber acquisitions.  The highly anticipated return of “The Walking Dead” Season 11 Part 2 premieres Sunday, February 20 at 9:00pm ET/8c with new episodes available one week early on AMC+, beginning with the premiere episode on Sunday, February 13.

Edwards will next appear in the Netflix series “Inventing Anna,” created by Shonda Rhimes and starring Julia Garner, and Apple TV+’s “WeCrashed,” starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway.  He is repped by Gersh and Lovett management. 

Parker will next appear in the limited series “The Staircase” for HBO Max, and in the feature “Disappointment Blvd” for A24. She currently stars in the hit Netflix series “Lost In Space” and is repped by Gersh.

Crews is the author of “Tough: My Journey to True Power” and has appeared in numerous series, including “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” among others.  He is repped UTA, 3 Arts, Viewpoint, and Morris Yorn.

Liu will join Rachel Weisz as a series regular in the Amazon series “Dead Ringers,” a modern update of David Cronenberg’s cult classic 1980s film. A first-generation Chinese American, Liu can also be seen in the pivotal role of Kiki in the Emmy and SAG Award-nominated HBO Max series “Hacks,” opposite Jean Smart. She recently recurred on AMC’s Emmy-nominated “Better Call Saul” and starred opposite Kal Penn in the NBC comedy series “Sunnyside.”  Liu is repped by Buchwald, Framework Entertainment and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. 

Bell’s credits include “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” “Rough Night,” “Idiotsitter” and “Workaholics,” among others. She is repped by 3 Arts, UTA and Chad Christopher.’

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