The Walking Dead: What To Expect From San Diego Comic Con

With San Diego Comic Con just about three weeks away, expectations and excitement are building for that we'll be treated to from AMC's big The Walking Dead panel on Friday, July 22.

The Walking Dead panelists include cast members Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Chandler Riggs, Michael Cudlitz, Sonequa Martin-Green, Christian Serratos, Ross Marquand and Josh McDermitt. Joining the cast will be Executive Producer and Showrunner Scott M. Gimple, Executive Producer Robert Kirkman, Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer, Director and Special Effects Make-up Supervisor Greg Nicotero and Executive Producer David Alpert. The panel will be moderated by Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick.

While Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the actor who joins the cast as Negan after his season six finale debut, is not named in AMC's plans for their Hall H panel, we are still expecting to see him. How much Morgan will be willing (or allowed) to say to fans in a public forum will be interesting but his character is at the forefront of everything pop culture these days. Morgan has appeared at several other conventions during The Walking Dead's off-season, so sitting out the biggest event of the year and skipping an opportunity to build even more hype and relationships with fans would be shocking.

A trailer, which may or may not offer clues to The Walking Dead's season six cliffhanger, is expected to debut during the panel, as well as a premiere date for season seven. Typically, The Walking Dead's SDCC trailers run anywhere from 3 1/2 to 6 minutes long. For this year's trailer, I've heard we should be expecting to see a certain tiger to make its debut.

For fans lucky enough to A) have badges to San Diego Comic Con and B) get into The Walking Dead's panel, AMC will likely have some exclusive footage. Last year, a reel of bloopers and outtakes (including Andrew Lincoln accidentally punching through a wall) played and never made its way online. A blooper reel is a possibility but there's also a chance at seeing the F-word laced alternate Negan scene ahead of its blu-ray/DVD release.

Every year, The Walking Dead makes it a point to announce their return date. With Fear the Walking Dead airing in the mean time, it's been a bit easier to pinpoint when The Walking Dead will premiere season seven though no official announcement has come out. With Fear the Walking Dead starting another eight episode run on August 21, we expect the premiere date to be October 16.

Finally, the biggest announcement from San Diego Comic Con will likely be casting for Ezekiel. Rumors swirled a couple weeks ago that LOST alum Harold Perrineau had been cast for the role but AMC and Perrineau have both denied the claims. However, the word is Ezekiel, leader of The Kingdom, will be introduced in season seven's third episode. Seeing as he'll likely be in the season seven trailer, a casting announcement will likely be made during the Hall H presentation.

Luckily for The Walking Dead fans who can't make it to San Diego, AMC releases their trailers online simultaneously to premiering them at Hall H.

In addition to official series panels, AMC will host fan activaties throughout the weekend, including a The Walking Dead-themed booth (#4237) in the Convention Center, where fans can stop by to take photos of themselves among Negan's infamous "lineup" from the season six finale.

The Walking Dead will return for its seventh season in October.