‘The Walking Dead’ Creator Robert Kirkman Addresses ‘Breaking Bad’ Fan Theory

Despite all of the fans pleading for the answer, series creator Robert Kirkman has pledged to never reveal the reason behind the zombie outbreak in The Walking Dead. So of course, people are going to come up with their own theories why.

One popular fan theory connects Breaking Bad to the fellow AMC series, stating that Walter White was inadvertently responsible for the undead epidemic. And at the latest Walker Stalker Cruise last weekend, Kirkman basically confirmed it.

Sources for ComicBook.com checked in after the cruise, detailing one fan’s question during a question and answer session with Kirkman as well as actors Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus. The fan asked if Walter White caused the zombie outbreak, and Kirkman responded “I’ll confirm that theory, sure.”

Kirkman was obviously joking in his response, and he usually is very playful with fans at convention appearances and in Q&As, but that’s only going to add more fuel to the fire that’s already burning quite brightly.

The “Breaking Dead” theory has many more components, and it began as far back as the second episode ever in The Walking Dead when Merle’s stash contained a bag of blue crystal meth. Of course, blue meth is the trademark of Walter White’s drug empire, as he’s known to have made “Blue Sky,” the first step of his criminal empire as Heisenberg.

There are other tenuous connections, such as the appearance of a red Dodge Challenger that appears in the fourth season of Breaking Bad and again in the second episode of The Walking Dead. Plus Daryl’s reference to Merle’s old drug dealer who would call people “b*tch” all the time (hello, Jesse Pinkman).

But of course, these pieces of “evidence” fall way short of confirming a Breaking Bad/Walking Dead shared universe. Instead they’re better viewed as coincidences, or even AMC-centric Easter Eggs.

Fear the Walking Dead even paid homage to the series in Season 3, when the Breaking Bad song “Negro y Azul: The Ballad of Heisenberg” played in a scene.

“I tried to be subtle with it,” said Dave Erickson. “That was probably the moment when I fell the most deeply in love with Breaking Bad, when they did that cold open music video. As we were looking for pieces to incorporate into this world, it had the right vibe to it. It’s a gentle nod of admiration and adoration to Vince Gilligan.”

But still, it would be neat if Kirkman wasn’t just toying with everyone… or maybe he wasn’t…?

The Walking Dead returns for the second half of its eighth season on February 25, 2018. Fear the Walking Dead will debut its fourth season after The Walking Dead concludes its eighth, at 10 pm ET on April 15. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.