‘The Walking Dead’ Robert Kirkman Talks The End Of The TV Series And The Comic
Just because The Walking Dead follows Robert Kirkman’s source material doesn’t mean the show will end in the same manner as the comics.
While AMC’s hit zombie show enters its seventh season this month, the comics are still chugging along with no end in sight. Fortunately, fans of the comics can rest assured that nothing will be spoiled prematurely.
Slash Film reports that Kirkman revealed how the Walking Dead’s ending might be different than the graphic novels when opening up to director Kevin Smith on Geeking Out.
“I know how I want to end The Walking Dead, the book. But I can’t tell anyone, because I don’t want it on the show before I get it in the comic,” Kirkman shared.
The only problem with Kirkman’s strategy is that the show might end before the comics. Luckily, Kirkman has a plan in case that happens.
“So if the show were to ever end, ever, at any point, and the comic was still going, I would have to sit down with Scott [Gimple] and pretend that I have no idea how to end it and work with him to try and come up with a new ending,” he stated.
Fans can watch Kirkman’s entire interview on Bleeding Cool.
Of course, AMC wants The Walking Dead to continue as long as possible, which means the show and the book might end at the same time.
HBO is having a similar problem with Game of Thrones.
The fantasy series is entering its final two seasons while George R.R. Martin has yet to publish the final two books in the franchise. Unlike The Walking Dead, producers are following Martin’s vision and plan on ending Game of Thrones the same as the books.
The Walking Dead will hopefully never reach that point, as it would be sad to see the two formats end in different ways, especially for those fans that don’t read the comics. At the same time, it is good to know that the TV show will not spoil anything major in the comics.
According to Bustle, Kirkman’s approach to the issue is sensible because the show and comics are two completely different formats that rely on different variables to be successful.
Indeed, the television show has already changed things from the comics in order to appeal to the audience, and there are simply too many things in the comics to include on the small screens.
Changes are bound to happen and they aren’t necessarily a bad thing. For example, comic book readers know that Negan kills Glenn. On the show, however, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) will probably end up killing a different character, which definitely leads to more suspense for fans.
After all, if Glenn’s fate was already sealed then ending Season 6 with such a big cliffhanger would have been meaningless. Further, the fact that Kirkman likes to switch things up keeps fans on their feet and guessing what will happen next, which is the hallmark of any great show.
With that in mind, it makes sense that Kirkman might depart from the comics if The Walking Dead ends before the books. Considering the volatile world of television ratings, it is a very real possibility that The Walking Dead is already getting close to airing its final season.
We can all hope that doesn’t happen and that both the television series and the comics will continue on the same pace for the foreseeable future.
Whatever ends up going down, at least fans can rest assured that Kirkman knows how he wants to wrap up the story of Rick Grimes and that he has a backup plan just in case things fall apart.
Tell us! Are you ready for the Season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead? Let us know in the comments, and check out some fan theories about who Negan kills in the clip below.
[Featured Image by AMC]
