Will The Walking Dead Shows Be Affected by the Writers’ Strike?

The Writers Guild of America is on strike. So what does that mean for The Walking Dead Universe of shows? The 2007-2008 WGA writers’ strike impacted fan-favorite shows — shortening seasons of Lost, Heroes, Breaking Bad, and Prison Break — and ultimately buried Pushing Daisies. And in 2017, it nearly happened again: a looming strike threatened to delay production on season 8 of The Walking Dead, which was to begin on May 1st that year — the same day that the Writers Guild of America’s contract was to expire. At the eleventh hour on May 2nd, 2017, that writers’ strike was averted. 

On Tuesday, Hollywood writers voted to strike for the first time in 15 years, meaning work has immediately halted on late-night TV and scripted series. Cobra Kai, Yellowjackets, and Abbott Elementary are among the shows that have gone dark, shuttering their writers’ rooms until the unionized writers and studios reach a deal.

In a recent report, the WGA said that “a work stoppage in May could delay the network television season, which continues to account for one-third of all episodes produced, including 45% of the episodes produced by legacy media companies Disney, Paramount Global, and Comcast NBCUniversal. Writers on fall network series typically begin work in May and June in preparation for series premieres in September and October. Writing for numerous streaming series is also ongoing or is anticipated to begin in the coming months. Any delay in the start of work has the potential to postpone fall season premieres and could ultimately reduce the amount of new programming produced for the 2023-2024 network season.”

Fear the Walking Dead Season 8

Filming wrapped in March on the eighth and final season of Fear the Walking Dead, which begins airing May 11th on AMC+ and May 14th on AMC. The original Walking Dead spin-off’s shortened season 8 will wrap up the show with 12 episodes — down from the usual 16 episodes — but this predates the writers’ strike. Fear will air its 12-episode final season in two parts, each consisting of six episodes, and the series will conclude later in 2023 as scheduled.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1

The new spin-off sending Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) into post-apocalyptic New York City also wrapped filming on its six-episode first season in October, so it won’t be impacted by the writers’ strike. The Walking Dead: Dead City is slated to air its series premiere immediately after Fear the Walking Dead‘s mid-season finale Sunday, June 18th, on AMC and AMC+. 

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 1

In March, crew members from the French set of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon reported that the six-episode first season wrapped filming after five months. The new series, which focuses on a marooned Daryl (Norman Reedus) overseas in Europe, is expected to premiere this fall on AMC and AMC+. 

The Walking Dead: Rick & Michonne Season 1

The Walking Dead spin-off that could potentially be affected by the writers’ strike is the only one that hasn’t completed production: Rick & Michonne. The six-episode spin-off series reuniting long-lost partners Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) began filming in February and reportedly doesn’t wrap production until mid-May.

While completed scripts can continue shooting as planned, guild members — which includes series executive producer, showrunner, and writer Scott M. Gimple — cannot write for the duration of the strike, which means no last-minute rewrites, reworks, or other alterations. As long as all six scripts are finished, the strike won’t impact Rick & Michonne. The series is undated and will premiere in 2024 on AMC and AMC+.

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