AMC will produce “Walking Dead” TV series
Earlier this week, AMC announced that they’ve gotten the rights to turn Robert Kirkman’s comic serial The Walking Dead into a series. As a devoted Walking Dead fan I’m both elated and horrified by this news.
First, the good. Krikman’s ongoing story (more on that later) is tremendous. Zombie horror is nothing new, but Walking Dead’s approach is fresh. It follows a group of unlikely survivors in a zombie-riddled world as they fight — the undead and each other — to survive. The typical ingredients like bloodthirsty undead, violent battles and a sinking distrust are in place, but Kirkman doesn’t rest on the tried-and-true zombie formula. I won’t give anything away, but the “how” and “why” aren’t what you’d expect.
Now for my trepidation. Krikman’s motivation in writing The Walking Dead is to have a zombie story that doesn’t end. In the epilogue to the first book, he explains that the one thing he’s hated about every zombie move he’s seen is the end. His story is far-reaching and slower moving than we typically see on TV. Plus, by the end of the first volume of books a large number of characters have been introduced. Characters who don’t go away very quickly. The storytelling develops slowly and naturally, and the character’s emotions are real.
So what can we expect from AMC? It’s still an unknown quantity. AMC has produced two fantastic shows as of late, Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Additionally, Frank Darabont is on board to write and direct. Frank is a three-time Oscar nominee and director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. What all this means is that the show is (probably) in good hands.
As I said, I’m both excited and anxious about this show. Here’s hoping it’s fantastic. The story deserves it. In the meantime, enjoy the fan film above.