'The Walking Dead' Hitting Reset After Season Eight

Following Season Eight, The Walking Dead will essentially be punching its reset button heading into a new era.

Former showrunner Scott Gimple promises Sunday's Episode 8x16 is more than just a "conclusion" for Season Eight. "In some ways of issues and stories that have spanned eight seasons," Gimple told USA Today. "Season 9 will be such a new world (and) new show in so many ways."" Gimple, for example, will be replaced as showrunner by Angela Kang.

Which cast members will be returning for the new batch of episodes set to begin production later this month remains unclear, at the moment.

Fear the Walking Dead is already revamping its narrative and cast almost entirely with Season Four, as Lennie James heads over to the sibling series for a crossover as Morgan Jones. Gimple calls the crossover "incredibly significant." The Dead universe has never anything like it in the past. "It's really the first time we've done this. We're starting Morgan where we left him emotionally and physically," Gimple said. "And one very important thing: Viewers don't need to have seen the first three seasons of Fear ... before they watch the fourth. They can come into it just as Morgan did."

When it comes to The Walking Dead's current villain, however, there might be a decent-length future on the horizon. "I'm a fan of the comic and this (story) parallels the comic in many ways. There are some big differences and there will be moving forward," Gimple said. "This is a show that has lived in the world of Twitter. It's something you check in on and it's interesting, but there can be so much praise and criticism for the same things. … Anybody's opinion is valid, as long as they watch the show."

Negan's likely survival of the Season Eight finale has been fueled by the narrative which has followed Carl's shocking death in the Mid-Season Eight finale and Mid-Season Eight premiere episodes. "It's very difficult to have any death on the show and to lose working with Chandler every day is not a treat," Gimple said. "I'm satisfied with the story we told and I think this weekend, people will see the story in its entirety."

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. 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.