The Walking Dead’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan wants a Negan Lives spin-off (and so do we)

Like many fans, The Walking Dead’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan would love to see Negan Lives brought to the screen.

The Walking Dead is by nature an ensemble show, which unfortunately means that there are a lot of fan-favorite characters who don’t get the development they deserve due to the show’s limitations. But Scott Gimple has said that the show is exploring options for taking another look at the stories of beloved characters who have been killed off.

On the recent hangout hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown, Jeffrey Dean Morgan was asked if he would like to see the recently released comic Negan Lives adapted as a live-action film, and he enthusiastically said yes. He also mentioned that he would be interested in filming a Negan prequel showing his character at the beginning of the apocalypse, the death of his wife Lucille, and how he became the leader of the Saviors. He said:

"“I’m very lucky to play him, because he’s become so well rounded, and this kind of redemption arc that he’s been on has been very interesting to play. And I think the Negan Lives comic book kind of carries that on. It’s a great little story, it’s just a little slice of a day in the life of [Negan]. It’s great, and I would love to. I always wanted to film that and then the prequel to Negan, there’s a comic book for that as well. I’d love to do that.”"

Fans have frequently shown interest in a Negan prequel and were excited about the idea of seeing Negan Lives as a feature film, or even as a limited run TV series. You can watch the entire hangout on The Walking Dead’s YouTube channel:

Why a Limited Series Format Could Be Great

A limited series or anthology format could be a fantastic way for The Walking Dead to connect the dots between the various shows, comics, and other properties set within The Walking Dead universe. The spinoff series The Walking Dead: World Beyond, which premieres on October 4, is the first limited series that the franchise has ever done. World Beyond will run for two seasons only. The show’s limited run means that it fills a very specific gap within the universe and introduces characters and plotlines that will act like a bridge to connect key events in TWD universe, while also showing a unique corner of the post-apocalyptic world.

And because there is so much of that world that hasn’t even been mentioned in TWD universe, limited series could be used to show how survivors in other countries and other types of climates have adapted. The franchise could keep going for decades without repeating any content, and the limited nature of these short series would keep fans from getting overwhelmed by too much immersion in TWD world.

Going Back to the Beginning

The limited series format could also give fans the chance to revisit their faves who didn’t survive the apocalypse. Viewers could get a one-season look at the origins of Abraham’s Army, further insight into how Merle and Daryl found the group, or the a glimpse of the Governor’s journey to becoming the leader at Woodbury.

What limited edition series would you want to see TWDFamily? Tweet us @SonyaIryna and @CulturessFS to tell us what The Walking Dead stories you want to see in this format.