The Walking Dead Star on The Governor Return: “You Never Know”

Former The Walking Dead star David Morrissey says a nonlinear timeline and upcoming projects outside the existing shows makes it possible for the Governor to return to TWD Universe in a prequel. Morrissey played Philip Blake, better known as the Governor of Woodbury, in Seasons 3 and 4, where he menaced Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his survivors when they were holed up in a nearby prison. Morrissey hints he could one day reprise the role in flashback or in a Governor-focused origin story, made possible by TWD chief content officer Scott Gimple’s plans for multiple miniseries, specials and other shorter length series now in development alongside the franchise’s first film trilogy to star Lincoln’s Rick Grimes.

“Well, you never know, with the way they do it. They sometimes go back and they do origin stories, and now they’re doing these movies,” Morrissey said on Lorraine when promoting historical fantasy drama series Britannia. “But I was so happy doing that job, it’s a great job, it’s a great character. And not just in terms of the actors and the people in front of the camera, but I made great friends in the crew and stuff. We filmed it in Atlanta, which is tough, but I got on so well with everybody down there.”

In October, Gimple laid out plans for TWD Universe to “tell stories in other formats than 16-episode seasons” like the mothership series, now in its tenth season, and spinoff Fear the Walking Dead. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Gimple revealed he was developing shorter length series, miniseries and specials to complement the existing shows, saying that plan is “taking advantage of not only the different stories we can tell, but the different formats we can tell them in.” These projects could also bring back dead characters.

Beyond these smaller-focused short series or one-offs, Gimple is currently developing a project focused on a single survivor. Described as a story similar to Cast Away or Omega Man, that untitled project could potentially star Morrissey, whose Governor spent time alone in Season 4 episode 6, “Live Bait.” That episode centers on the lone Governor as an aimless wanderer until he meets a small family of survivors that includes Tara (Alanna Masterson).

Morrissey previously said he would “love” to return to the character who has “a lot more to mine,” adding he would “go back in a shot.” The actor then pointed to untapped material that exists in the form of Governor-focused novels penned by creator Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga.

“I’d love to do that,” Morrissey previously told Red Carpet News TV when asked if he would lead his own series inspired by novels The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, The Road to Woodbury and The Fall of the Governor. “As I say, I love the world, I love the genre, I love the character, so if the powers that be deemed it right to do it, I would love to. Sometimes you walk away from a job, you think, ‘I’m finished with that character.’ Whereas the Governor, I don’t feel that. I think there’s a lot more to mine, really.”

The Walking Dead Season 10 returns with new episodes Feb. 23, 2020 on AMC. For more TWD intel, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.