Following even more record ratings AMC has renewed The Walking Dead for season 5 while also retaining showrunner Scott Gimple…
In a move that surprises absolutely no one, AMC has renewed The Walking Dead for season five in 2014. The announcement was made by the network on Tuesday after the series continued to lead cable ratings for yet another week after the latest episode aired on Sunday night.
The Walking Dead has been a ratings juggernaut for AMC since its debut with the latest season garnering more viewership than ever before. The zombie thriller from creator Robert Kirkman has not only crushed cable viewership records, but it has also started to contend with broadcast network shows especially in the coveted 18-49 demographic.
The series will hit episode four this upcoming Sunday and the network moved fast to go ahead and seal the deal on a fifth season right now.
“We are very happy to make what has to be one of the most anti-climactic renewal announcements ever: The Walking Dead is renewed for a fifth season,” said Charlie Collier, AMC president. “This is a show that has erased traditional distinctions between cable and broadcast. Its expanding base of passionate fans has grown every season, most recently — and most notably — with the season four premiere earlier this month, which broke viewership records for the series and became the biggest non-sports telecast in cable history. On behalf of the incredible team on both sides of the camera, thank you to the fans and here’s to more Dead.”
Possibly the bigger news out of this renewal is the fact that The Walking Dead will continue with the same showrunner in season five as Scott Gimple will be retained and return in that same role. Gimple took over for season four after exiting showrunner Glen Mazzara left the series.
Mazzara was the latest showrunner to leave after Frank Darabont — the man who helped lead The Walking Dead to television in the first place — also left the show.
The Walking Dead will also spawn a spin-off show on AMC that will be developed starting in 2014, although details about the launch date are still unclear at this time. Creator Robert Kirkman will also have a hand in that series, but it will not be based on any of his comic books or characters from past issues.
