Lauren Cohan Books New ABC Show, No ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 9 Contract

Lauren Cohan has booked a new ABC show as her future with AMC’s The Walking Dead remains uncertain.

Cohan, who has been fielding pilot season offers left and right during The Walking Dead‘s production hiatus, booked a lead role on the ABC drama pilot Whiskey Cavalier. The Hollywood Reporter says Cohan “had been actively looking for her next role as she battles AMC over her season nine salary.” As of right now, the actress does not have a contract in place to bring her back for episodes beyond Season Eight’s finale.

Sources say Cohan and her agents are not happy with the offers that have been on the table from AMC,” THR reports. “Although Cohan is not seeking salary parity with male leads Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus, her camp and AMC have been engaged in a months-long negotiation that remains far apart. Insiders suggest that Cohan was actively looking for her next job and not trying to use the pilot casting process to force AMC’s hand as the actress’ camp remains frustrated by AMC’s lowball offers.”

On the contrary, however, other leads point out that AMC has most “aggressive offers” to re-sign Cohan for Season Nine.

The move by Cohan and company might be a bold power play to up AMC’s offers for the actress’ next contract. She could ultimately take the role on Whiskey Cavalier as a regular and exit the AMC zombie drama as its regulars are not allowed to have such obligations to other titles. Whiskey Cavalier can move forward with Cohan but merely feature her in a handful of episodes as she fulfills duties of an eventual Season Nine contract. Alternatively, Whiskey Cavalier might not be picked up to series and AMC would re-gain any upper hand in the negotiations and Cohan would still have the choice of whether or not she wishes to return.

The pilot itself likely will not interfere with production schedules for The Walking Dead Season Nine which is set to begin in late April or early May.

Whiskey Cavalier will also star Scandal‘s Scott Foley, telling the adventures of a “tough but tender” FBI agent named Will Chase (codename: Whiskey Cavalier). Following an emotional break-up, Will is assigned to work with a more bad-ass CIA operative by the name of Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge (Cohan’s role). Cohan’s Trowbridge is hired to take out the same target Chase has been burdened with protecting.

The show is being written by Dave Hemingson.

Following The Walking Dead‘s Mid-Season Eight premiere, ComicBook.com’s After the Dead will be live to recap the episode with executive producer Greg Nicotero at 10:22 pm ET on ComicBook NOW’s Facebook page and ComicBook.com Orginals’ YouTube channel.

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.