We finally have our first look at The Walking Dead Season 9 thanks to a teaser image released today by AMC. This comes as we’re leading up to San Diego Comic Con 2018, where AMC will hold panels and release trailers and key art for the upcoming seasons of The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead. The image, pictured below, features all sorts of clues into the new season and we’re here to help you break down your most burning questions.
Why Does Rick Look So Old?
The Walking Dead’s new showrunner Angela Kang recently said at an AMC panel that Season 9 would “play with time.” Coming off a season where an older Rick was teased through Carl’s idyllic visions of the future, Season 9 will actually give us a more aged Rick. In fact, this is version of him comic fans have been used to since A New World, which is the story arc that follows All Out War in the source material (see below).
Where’s Maggie’s Baby Bump?
The leader of the Hilltop looks stronger than ever in this tease. Her hair is longer and…she’s still not showing a baby bump. Could that mean Maggie has actually had her baby (named Hershel in the comics), or something else? We’ll let you be the judge.
What’s Going On With Carol And Michonne?
Carol and Michonne haven’t changed that much between seasons, though we are digging Carol’s shorter haircut. Also, since All Out War is wrapped it’s good to see Carol out of the Kingdom armor and back into more normal clothes. Expect Carol and Michonne (as well as the other badass women of the zombie apocalypse) to take center stage in Season 9. As Angela Kang recently boasted, “We don’t write damsels in distress.”
Where’s Everyone Else?
As amazing as it is to see fresher looks of our main characters, this teaser also begs the question – where’s everyone else? What happened to Ezekiel, Jesus, Rosita, Eugene, Aaron, Enid, all of Oceanside, Judith, Tara, and Negan? Is there a reason they’re being excluded? ARE THEY ALL DEAD??? No, but keep your eyes peeled for future Season 9 teaser images for answers.
Why Does Daryl Look The Same?
Not even time could make a dent in Daryl’s look. He still looks as rugged as ever – but maybe that’s a good thing. Never change, Daryl.
Are They Traveling To Washington DC?
Scott Gimple told The Wrap back in April, “Season 9 is going to be unlike things people have seen before on the show, and it really is going to take on a very, very different vibe — a very singular vibe unto itself.” He went on to say that vibe mirrors Season 4 and Season 5, when our characters were constantly on the road. That helps give context to the dilapidated U.S. Capitol building largely featured in the teaser. Looks like the big city (or what’s left of it) will play a role next season.
IS THAT THE HELICOPTER?!?!
Arguably the most exciting piece of this teaser image is the return of the helicopter we first saw last season. We don’t know much about it, but last time it appeared Jadis/Anne had Negan tied up in her junkyard while she tried and failed to flag it down. Based on the teaser, it looks like we’ll be unraveling more of that story this Fall.
The Walking Dead returns for its ninth season this October. Expect MUCH more content (including a trailer) to be released during San Diego Comic Con, which begins July 19th. In the meantime, check out the top Walking Dead comic storylines fans want to see in Season 9.
Question 8….Will this season suck as much as last season? Question 9….How many viewers will walk away from the show this season? Question 10…How bad will the writing be for the show? Question 11…How much SJW crap will you include in the writing of the storylines even though it has added to the decline of the show? Stay tuned………..
Everybody’s entitled to their opinion & I respect yours, but do you REALLY have to blast it on EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. POST?! I mean, DAMN, man!! We all know how much you hate the show, but you’re still here on the site… ain’t you got ANYTHING else to say?! Jesus fucking CHRIST!!!
So you respect my opinion but you want me to shut up….lol…typical of todays society….
I didn’t ask you to shut up.
I don’t want you to shut up. Just bring something else to the table.
I guess you didnt read my other statement….
I also dont hate the show…I loved it up until after the 7th season opener….It went way downhill after that…All out war was a bust that didnt translate to the TV at all do to poor writing/pacing…..I want the show to be good….I dont blast the show on every post….check and see….I blasted the show on a article about the show…go figure….I am on this site because I like the comic and I want the show to be better….go figure….I also respect other people opinions and do not respond harshly to anybody unless they come after me first….so chill
I read this. Nothing new.
Rick doesn’t look older to me. In fact, he’s reminiscent of the Sheriff Rick Grimes.
I’m holding on to a personal theory that all this Rick being phased out stuff is just a publicly stunt to draw people back in..until Andrew Lincoln breaks my heart in his own words anyways lol.
Don’t get your hopes up. The way spoilers & TMI are, you can pretty much bank on info like this. And he’s not the only one who’s on their way out, if you don’t know already.
I think we’re seeing a show wrap up & I hope so, because this does NOT need to become centered on Daryl. He canNOT carry this show! I don’t think anyone can, after Rick!
So I guess its cool that you make the same complaints about Daryl on multible posts…. just sayin….
I don’t make it a point to complain about Daryl on damn near every post I have. I don’t complain about Daryl half as much as you complain about the show in the span of time that we’ve each been here & I’ve been on this site from the beginning… for years, whereas you’ve been on the site for… has it been a year?
My last three posts I said nothing about the show….check and see for yourself….the article about Chandler, 181 comic preview, and the marathon preview….so whatever….and claiming seniority on a website on the internet is lame….
I didn’t claim seniority. I was using length of time as a reference to the amount of complaints we have in comparison. That’s ANOTHER remark of yours here pointing towards issues with reading comprehension.
Are we gonna get to personal attacks next? Save it. Just keep on doing what you do best, which is complain about the show even tho you don’t hate it (smh), because that truly IS all you can bring to the table & I’ll try to keep that in mind.
Talk about issues with reading comprehension….
Don’t get your hopes too high. And he’s not the only one leaving, if you don’t already know. Personally, I’m hoping that we are seeing a wrap of the show. I’d rather see that than some fucktarded attempt at letting Daryl carry the show. Nobody after Rick is capable of that, but putting the spotlight on Daryl would just be a gut punch of an insult on top of failure.
The show is done.
^ Delayed posting made me think I had to put it out again.
I believe the group will not be going to washington dc and that the image is just a metaphor for civilisation being destroyed and that the characters are tasked with rebuilding it. Although we will see new characters which, if Lincoln and Cohan really are leaving will be able to hold up the show. Think of it as “A New Beginning”.