SDCC17 The Walking Dead Panel: Live Blog

Directly following Fear the Walking Dead’s panel in Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center, AMC‘s The Walking Dead conquered San Diego Comic Con to launch the promotional train for the show’s eighth season.

Moderated by the executive producers to honor the recently deceased stuntman John Bernecker, The Walking Dead cast and crew took the stage around 12:30 pm PT.

The panel starts with a tribute to stuntman John Bernecker from Scott Gimple.

Then, the trailer for Season 8 plays.

After the trailer, Kirkman introduces a recap of the 99 episodes to date.

Footage of Rick from the first episode, at the gas station, the hospital, meeting Morgan, ridiing into Atlanta, meeting Glenn, reuniting with Lori and Carl, meeting Daryl, Merle being left being, Shane playing with Carl, arriving at the CDC, learning the truth of the zombie virus, Sophia being lost in the woods, Carl getting shot, Shane being a zombie, Dale urging to do what’s right, Glenn going down the well, Glenn and Maggie in the prison tower, Maggie killing riot gear walkers, Lori giving birth and dying, Daryl holding the baby, crazy Morgan, Glenn proposing the Maggie, welcome to Woodbury, Michonne raiding the Governor’s collection, our old pal Merle, the Governor battle, Lizzie looking at the flowers, Rick meeting Gabriel, Beth and Daryl in the woods, Michonne and the family on the train tracks, Terminus, Carol saving the day, Abraham raising a glass, the firetruck mowing walkers down, going to Washington, meeting Aaron, meeting Alexandria, the quarry full of walkers, the explosion in the lake, Jesus’ introduction, the raid on the Saviors, Michonne and Rick becoming a thing, Negan’s introduction, the Saviors, the Hilltop, the Kingdom, and the preparations for war….

Scott Gimple turns it right over to questions from fans.

Do they crave a comedic moment or scene?

“I’ve been wishing for a musical episode for years,” Riggs said.

“Sometimes we just get into spoof mood and when the cameras aren’t rolling, we spoof ourselves,” McBride said.

“They gave me Jerry, so I get plenty of comedy,” Khary Payton said. “I get to have all the fun.”

If Sasha had lived, where would she end up in Negan’s organization?

“That would’ve been an interesting storyline moving forward,” Jeffrey Dean Morgan said. “I think he sees something in every one of these characters that is rare in this world. They’re all very strong as a team and individually and I think he respects everyone he’s come up against and I think Sasha was no different.”

What more can we expect from TWD?

“I get surprised on this show all the time being in it so this could go on forever,” Norman Reedus said.

“We’ve got all kinds of great stuff planned,” Kirkman said. “It will be very action packed, very fast paced. I think I counted six explosions in the trailer alone.”

How will Negain influence Carl?

“Ever since the comics of the whole Carl and Negan storyline came out, I have been so so excited for the whole arc between the two,” Chandler Riggs said. “I can’t wait to do some of that stuff.”

First scene shot on the show?

“It was me and Jon Bernthal on that road doing the car block,” Andrew Lincoln said. “Jon, his knee was busted, so I had to drive him around Atlanta on the way to work and I kept driving on the left hand side of the road and then I had to get in a car with him and we had to drive at about 80 miles per hour and then stop abruptly. Jon had never sweat more in his life.”

“It was Jon Bernthal and me, terrified, trying to make sense of where we were and it was thrilling,” Lincoln said. “This has been the most incredible thing in my life. It’s been the most incredible experience.”

What should Maggie’s baby know?

“What he would have wanted to teach the baby or expose the baby to is just that bravery and comedy and impulsive energy that he had,” Lauren Cohan said. “It’s probably hard to say but I hope that everybody of the family that is alive is gonna pass those things on and tell those stories to this little girl or guy, as well as who Hershel was, who Beth was, who Michael who played Abraham was…”

Greg Nicotero and Robert Kirkman share stories of working with George Romero.

“I have to say that one of the best exits was Sonequa’s,” Lennie James said. “That would be my choice. Go out big. Go out loud. Go out large. Try to take someone with you.”

Working together outside of the show?

“We’re Batman’s parents,” Morgan said of himself and Cohan.

Does FCC block any of Negan’s dialogue?

“We are aloowed 7 s—s, one g–d—, zero f—s,” Morgan said. “As you know, Mr. Kirkman happens to enjoy that word.”

“That’s why we have blu-ray so we can say all those.”

When did Lincoln know the show would be a success?

“I was about 50 yards away from where I’m at now…it was the first time we came to comic Con….within a minute and a half I heard this incredible sound and it was you guys. It was the most amazing sense of relief that we weren’t messing up your show.”

New characters?

“The answer is, ‘Yes,’” Gimple said. “But we shouldn’t tell them about you now.”

Zombie bite immunity or a cure?

“We liketo not be as definitive as possible because we don’t want to reveal anything but the answers are ‘no’ and ‘no,’” Kirkman said. “As far as actually trying to solve the thing, I’ve always thought that one of the best things about this show is that it’s not about scientists and it’s not about people who would take that on as a task.”

“This show is about people and their struggles to survive.”

What would it take to turn a character into Negan?

“First of all, what the hell’s turning out like Negan?” Morgan asks.

“Everybody is in a horrible circumstance but not everybody chooses to be like Negan,” Khary Payton said.