The Walking Dead’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan Reacts to Spinoff Shocker: “I Guess We Don’t Die”

Spoiler alert! The Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan says it was a “shocker” when AMC Networks announced Negan and Maggie live to fight another day in Isle of the Dead. The spinoff gets the green light as the network airs Part 2 of the Final Season of The Walking Dead, concluding with Part 3 later this year on AMC. As online commentators criticize the decision to spoil The Walking Dead with post-show plans — a Daryl/Carol spinoff with Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride was announced last year — Morgan says it was a surprise when AMC unveiled Isle so far ahead of its 2023 premiere. 

“Now that we’ve announced that there’s going to be a spinoff, I guess we don’t need to die,” Morgan said on The Rich Eisen Show. “Spoiler alert, folks. Sorry! I’m still not sure why we announced that already. It was sort of a shocker to me.” 

Morgan added there’s “always a veil of secrecy” surrounding The Walking Dead, where we last saw Negan break from Maggie’s group and go his own way. “It’s not as crazy as it was five years ago with fans trying to figure out what was going on, but there’s a certain kind of craziness with this last season, and especially this last bit of the last season. It’s been a little bit nutty again.” 

In Isle of the Dead, Maggie and Negan travel together into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror. 

“I’m delighted that Negan and Maggie’s journey continues. It’s been such a ride walking in Negan’s shoes, I’m beyond excited to continue his journey in New York City with Lauren,” Morgan said in a statement announcing the NYC-shot spinoff. “Walkers in an urban setting has always been such a cool image, but 5th Avenue, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty? The greatest city in the world?? The backdrop is amazing, but it’s the story that Eli Jorné cooked up that is even better. Buckle up folks, Isle of the Dead is going to reinvent the TWD Universe … We simply can’t wait.”

Isle of the Dead premieres in 2023 on AMC.

Follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter and @NewsOfTheDead for TWD Universe coverage all season long. New episodes of The Walking Dead: The Final Season air Sundays on AMC and AMC+.