The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus Previews All Out War And Working With Shiva Tiger

It’s no secret that The Walking Dead will be seeing an explosive war between Rick’s group of survivors and Negan‘s Saviors. By now, it’s more of an expectation and anticipation than anything else.

Technically, Rick struck first when (late in Season 6) the Safe-Zone’s best soldiers marched to a Savior outpost and took out a slew of their unknown foes in their sleep. Negan struck back, however, making his presence known by tormenting the group and killing two of their highest ranking and most beloved soldiers: Abraham and Glenn.

When the show returns, Rick will finally start rallying his surrounding communities in an effort to have sufficient numbers to take on the Saviors. The synopsis for Season 7B specifically teases the “all out war” ahead and claims Rick’s group could never be properly prepared.

ComicBook.com spoke with Norman Reedus and asked whether or not the cast and crew have been filming fight scenes to the scale of the Governor’s raid on the prison. According to the Daryl Dixon actor, the battles ahead are going to be exactly what fans are hoping for: “epic.”

“There are a bunch of groups, and like everything on this show, everything comes to a head eventually,” Reedus said. “There are definitely scenes shot that are as epic and as large.”

Perhaps those battle are going in Alexandria’s favor and are the reason Andrew Lincoln put down his Season 7 finale script to punch the air and do a little dance.

“It’s crazy,” Reedus added.

As for the group meeting Ezekiel and his pet tiger Shiva, Reedus can’t confirm if he has acted alongside the animatronic beast himself as to avoid spoilers, but shares a bit of insight from the cast’s reactions.

“I think it’s been basically awe,” Reedus said. “It’s so well done and it’s such a complicated thing to do. I think it’s always a little odd, I guess, for whoever’s doing that, but when you see it put together, and you see how much work it takes to do that, it’s pretty f—ing amazing, to be honest. It’s kind of mind-blowing.”

When The Walking Dead returns, Rick, Daryl, and others will be marched to King Ezekiel by the Hilltop’s Paul “Jesus” Rovia. How Daryl will react to such an extravagant new leader and community will be worth the price of admission in itself.

MORE WALKING DEAD:

Andrew Lincoln’s Epic Reaction To Season 7 Finale / New Season 7B Key Art / Violent Takes Were Removed From Midseason Finale / Best Moments of 2016 / Negan Featured in #162 Preview / Five Worst Storylines / Who Will Be The Next Major Death? /Spoilers: How Will Season 7 End? / Why The Walking Dead Is About To Kill Rick

The Walking Dead returns for the rest of its seventh season on February 12 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. Fear the Walking Dead‘s third season does not yet have a premiere date but with The Walking Dead finale set for April 2, expectations for Fear‘s return are set for April 9. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.