Is This Where 'The Walking Dead' Goes In Season 9?

The Walking Dead is in for some serious changes when Season Nine begins in the fall, many of which will be visible in the show's narrative which is charging toward uncharted territory.

First of all, The Walking Dead is getting a brand new showrunner as Angela Kang steps into the role for Scott Gimple. Kang has previously shown off her ability to develop characters through dialogue and key moments while writing several unforgettable scripts for the series. It's a good sign for the zombie drama moving forward, as a pair of options from the comics indicate the possible storyline.

Many fans are expecting to see the Whisperers arrive on the AMC show this season. Comic book readers know the savage bunch as a group of survivors who wear the skin and faces of the dead, walking among them and never speaking above a whisper to maintain their existence. There are plenty of signs which point to the Whisperers arriving in Season Nine, such as the appearance of cast members like Andrew Lincoln in photos from production.

Lincoln's new look as Rick Grimes is consistent with that of the same character's post-All Out War time jump look in the comics: a shaved head and a thorough beard. Of course, Rick did not suffer the leg break he did in the comics, so a cane won't be necessary. Still, he has an interesting new item which looks to be replacing the cane and serving as a scary new weapon reminiscent of Negan's Lucille bat.

Assuming the AMC show is indeed following the source material with a time jump, this would mean Maggie has had her baby by the time the show returns and someone has exiled themselves to the Oceanside community. The former, however, seems like the only likely possibility. Negan, on the other hand, will have grown a hefty beard while sitting in Alexandria's prison, which Jeffrey Dean Morgan already appears to have ready.

Should the AMC series skip the Whisperers, it is also possible they jump to the New World Order story. More recently in the comics, Robert Kirkman's writing introduced a group calling the Commonwealth community home. It's a thriving world in Ohio, 50,000 survivors strong, complete with concerts, football games, and security who dress like storm troopers.

The photos which have surfaced from Georgia streets might be an indication of the group's trek to Ohio, similarly to how it played out in the comics. While The Walking Dead's production will likely never leave Georgia, the story would call for a journey through Pittsburgh's streets. The Walking Dead has not explored city streets as it appears to be for Season Nine, so it's possible Georgie (who actress Jayne Atkinson believes to be the TV-equivalent of Commonwealth governor Pamela Milton) lead the group to their new and more thoroughly rebuilt world.

After all, the Hilltop does have a water tower now and the Alexandria community has been looking to have a windmill installed.

Where do you think The Walking Dead will go in its ninth season? Sound off in the comment section or send your thoughts my way on Twitter. The Walking Dead's ninth season will air beginning in October, with the first trailer arriving at San Diego Comic Con in July.