Andrew Lincoln & Danai Gurira to Reunite for A New Series in ‘The Walking Dead’ Universe in 2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Over the course of its eleven-year run, the AMC series, The Walking Dead, managed to move us in some extremely sorrowful ways, by bidding farewell to critical characters in unexpected moments. Which makes sense, since this is a story about the end the world, where walking corpses eat the flesh of the living and where death can strike at any time, and where extenuating circumstances can separate people on a moment’s notice, but that hasn’t made those losses any easier. Because we latch onto these characters and their humanity and some we love dearly since they resonate with us on a fundamental level.

But of the many people that we’ve lost or seen exit the show, two of recent note genuinely hit the fan base hard. For Rick Grimes and Michonne’s exit from the series left us wanting more, since they departed under better circumstances than some of their family members, and we’ve been eager to see them return and enjoy closure now that the flagship series is nearing its end and believe it or not, we are getting our wish. For earlier today at Comic Con International, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira surprised TWD fans on the stage by announcing that they were returning to The Walking Dead Universe with a brand-new series focused on their characters in 2023 and well… here are all the details on the return of Rick and Michonne, courtesy of AMC Networks.

‘AMC Networks today announced that Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira will reunite for a new series in the expanding universe around The Walking Dead. The series will continue the journey and love story of the Rick Grimes and Michonne characters. Lincoln and Gurira, who have been actively involved in conceiving the creative and the continuation of their characters’ story, made the surprise announcement while appearing onstage as part of the final panel for The Walking Dead at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Scott M. Gimple, Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe, will serve as showrunner on the series, which will begin with six episodes in 2023. Lincoln and Gurira are both executive producers.
 
“This is a moment fans of The Walking Dead have been waiting for since Rick disappeared in the helicopter early in season nine, and Michonne journeyed away on a quest to find him the following season,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “What a great surprise for the fans at this final Comic-Con for the series that launched this universe and made television history. We couldn’t be more excited for a truly epic series finale later this year and to see Andy and Danai return in a new series they helped create, one of three new series coming in 2023 that continue the stories of so many iconic and fan-favorite TWD characters.” 
 
“Rick and Michonne are two of my favorite people and Danai and Andy are two of my favorite people,” Gimple said. “Working with all of them continues to be a dream come true. The three of us, along with a terrific team of TWD all stars and incredible new voices, are crafting an insane love epic worth the long, long wait.”
 
“This has been the most extraordinary journey playing Rick Grimes for the best part of a decade. The friendships I’ve made along the way are deep and lasting, so it’s fitting that I finally get to complete the story with Danai and Scott and the rest of the TWD family. I’m so excited to be returning to the screen as Rick, reuniting with Danai as Michonne, and bringing the fans an epic love story to add to the Walking Dead Universe.”
 
Said Gurira: “Michonne and this TWD family has meant so much to me, and to continue the journey of these beloved characters, alongside Scott and Andy, both creatively and in front of the camera, and bringing The Walking Dead fans something truly special is just glorious. I can’t wait to pick up the katana again.”  

This series presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive -- or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?’

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