MOVIE NEWS – The Walking Dead director Scott M. Gimple himself hinted that something big was coming this weekend, but he was quick to cool fans’ expectations.

Fans of The Walking Dead have been waiting forever for the fabled “Rick Grimes movie” that’s been promised since Andrew Lincoln’s character was blown up in season 9, so when a big announcement was made on Sunday about the Walking Dead universe, it seemed like the light at the end of that particular tunnel had finally come on.

Preventing unfounded rumours from spreading, director/producer Scott M. Gimple was quick to warn fans:

Don’t get too excited about the big reveal involving Rick Grimes or his – presumably – upcoming film!

Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, has been the heart and soul of The Walking Dead from the very first episode when he woke up in a hospital bed to find a mysterious disease ravaging the world and turning people into bloodthirsty zombies. After nine seasons of leading an ever-evolving group of survivors from one trauma to the next, including the Governor and Negan’s time as a tyrant, Rick was last seen in a bridge explosion. Though most of the cast thought he was dead, viewers know his career as a series regular is not necessarily over…

Since that last scene in 2018, fans have been teased that Rick Grimes will be seen again, for the first time in a significant theatrical trilogy that has become a single film, but there is no set arrival date for now that either. In July, director Greg Nicotero himself revealed that he had no idea when the film would start shooting.

That doesn’t sound very reassuring, so the announcement that something was coming this weekend was immediately seized upon as a much-anticipated sign. Once again, it didn’t take long for someone to hit fans over the head like the series’ plodding walkers: Gimple first raised expectations, then returned soon after to cool things down again.

The Walking Dead’s companion show Talking Dead is set to feature a special guest this Sunday, and Gimple started the speculation on social media with a comment saying, “This will be BIG”, but when Rick Grimes’ name suddenly popped up everywhere, Gimple took to Twitter to clarify his comment.

While there’s been talk of future Walking Dead spinoffs lately, including Tales of The Walking Dead and a series based around Carol and Daryl, it’s hard to imagine any of them currently capturing our imagination as much as Gimple has suggested – in any case, we’ll wait for the news on Sunday until then the only thing we know for sure is that Rick Grimes’ return is a little further away.

Source: Twitter

I see this blew up a li’l bit. It’s big, but it’s not about Rick Grimes. We’re sorry some things are taking a while — this announcement is something, though, that’s been a long time coming. 1/2

— Scott M. Gimple (@ScottMGimple) December 1, 2021

THANK YOU for being with us on this journey; everyday alll around the country (& the world!) we endeavor to make stuff to thrill you, to intrigue you, to make you feel — we’re working hard not to let you down. If you dig the TWDU, Sunday’s news will be massive and momentous. 2/2

— Scott M. Gimple (@ScottMGimple) December 1, 2021