The Walking Dead Ending: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Says Final 30 Episodes Are “Gonna Be Special”

The Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan promises the zombie drama's 30 final episodes are "gonna be special." In September, AMC Networks announced an eleventh and final season would follow the six bonus episodes extending Season 10. The super-sized Season 11, spanning 24 episodes over two years, arrives later in 2021 and The Walking Dead airs its series finale in 2022. After a 12-year run, the mothership show will live on in the untitled road show spin-off following Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) and anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead — just two of the announced projects expanding the Walking Dead Universe.

"Knowing it's ending is rough for those of us that have been around a minute. Really is a second family," Morgan tweeted during a Twitter Q&A on Saturday. "Going to be difficult to wrap head around. But? Very lucky to have had this time together. And next 30 eps are gonna be special."

lots of stuff I think. But I’ll tell ya... KNOWING it’s ending? is rough for those of us that have been around a minute. Really is a second family. Going to be difficult to wrap head around. But? Very lucky to have had this time together. And next 30 eps are gonna be special.

— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) February 7, 2021

Morgan joined The Walking Dead in its Season 6 finale, "Last Day on Earth," and next appears in the six-episode Season 10C that will reveal his character's origin story in prequel episode "Here's Negan."

"It's been ten years gone bye; what lies ahead are two more to come and stories and stories to tell beyond that," The Walking Dead chief content officer and former showrunner Scott Gimple said when announcing the sendoff season. "What's clear is that this show has been about the living, made by a passionate cast, team of writer/producers, producers, and crew, bringing to life the vision put forth by Robert Kirkman in his brilliant comic — and supported by the best fans in the world. We have a lot of thrilling story left to tell on TWD, and then, this end will be a beginning of more Walking Dead — brand new stories and characters, familiar faces and places, new voices, and new mythologies."

Gimple added, "This will be a grand finale that will lead to new premieres. Evolution is upon us. The Walking Dead lives."

AMC+ subscribers can stream the Season 10C premiere, "Home Sweet Home," one week before its television premiere starting on Sunday, February 21. The Walking Dead returns to AMC with new episodes on Sunday, February 28, at 9 pm ET/8c.

Follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter for all things The Walking Dead Universe.