Melissa McBride has dropped out of a planned spinoff of “The Walking Dead” where she would have starred alongside Norman Reedus…
Melissa McBride has exited a planned spinoff set in “The Walking Dead” universe.
The news was announced on Wednesday after McBride dropped out of the series that she was set to lead alongside longtime co-star Norman Reedus in a show that would have focused on their characters Daryl and Carol. Now the series will move forward with Reedus’ Daryl Dixon taking the primary focus with McBride no longer on board to appear.
AMC issued a statement on McBride’s decision to leave the series:
“Melissa McBride has given life to one of the most interesting, real, human and popular characters in The Walking Dead Universe,” AMC officials said. “Unfortunately, she is no longer able to participate in the previously announced spinoff focused on the Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier characters, which will be set and filmed in Europe this summer and premiere next year.
“Relocating to Europe became logistically untenable for Melissa at this time. We know fans will be disappointed by this news, but The Walking Dead Universe continues to grow and expand in interesting ways and we very much hope to see Carol again in the near future.”
With “The Walking Dead” coming to an end later this year with the final eight episodes debuting on AMC in the fall, there have already been multiple planned spinoffs ordered at the network.
The series starring McBride and Reedus was the first but now it appears that plans will shift with the actress exiting the series ahead of production starting later this year.
McBride is one of the longest tenured members of “The Walking Dead” cast after she debuted in the first season alongside Reedus and she’ll continue moving forward until the show ends with the last episode in season 11.
Based on the statement it would seem that AMC is open to McBride returning to her role from “The Walking Dead” in the future but there are no exact plans for that character beyond the spinoff series that was already announced.
In addition to the show that will now center around Daryl Dixon, there is an anthology series on the way called “Tales of the Walking Dead” as well as a separate spinoff called “Isle of the Dead” that will center around the characters Negan and Maggie played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan respectively.
McBride has already concluded her part as Carol on “The Walking Dead” after the series wrapped a few weeks ago.
