Walking Dead spinoffs will resume production amid strikes

Wesley Stenzel
·2 min read
1
Walking Dead spinoffs will resume production amid strikes

The Walking Dead is rising from the grave.

Two spinoffs of The Walking Dead are set to resume production after AMC Networks negotiated with SAG-AFTRA to secure interim agreements for the series. The casts and crews of the shows, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, as well as Interview With the Vampire, are now allowed to return to work on set, according to SAG-AFTRA's list of projects with interim agreements.

Daryl Dixon will debut its first season Sept. 10, so the interim agreement will allow the series to begin production on its second season. Meanwhile, The Ones Who Live, which has already finished physical production, will complete post-production work on its first season ahead of a 2024 release. The former series stars Norman Reedus as the titular fan-favorite character fighting his way through post-apocalyptic France, while the latter series will focus on Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira).

 - The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon _ Season 1 - Photo Credit: Emmanuel Guimier/AMC
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon _ Season 1 - Photo Credit: Emmanuel Guimier/AMC

Emmanuel Guimier/AMC Norman Reedus on 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon'

AMC was able to negotiate a deal with SAG-AFTRA because the network is not technically a member of AMPTP, the negotiating group representing Hollywood's major studios and streamers. Instead, it is an authorized company, which means it is not at the table negotiating with AMPTP leadership, but will be subject to the terms of the AMPTP's eventual deal with SAG-AFTRA. The network has no official comment on the interim agreements.

Most of the productions that have received interim agreements thus far have been independent films, including Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis and films starring Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaughey, Rebel Wilson, and numerous others. However, a few other series, including the faith-based show The Chosen and Apple TV+'s Tehran have received interim agreements as well.

An interim agreement is not a "waiver" to cross the picket line — rather, it is a signifier that a production has agreed to SAG-AFTRA's new terms, which have yet to be accepted by the AMPTP. While the interim agreements have caused some disagreements within SAG-AFTRA membership, the union's leadership supports the practice because they prove that the actors' new terms are reasonable and realistic.

Adam Driver succinctly summarized the interim agreement strategy while promoting Ferrari at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday. "I'm very proud to be here to be a visual representation of a movie that's not part of the AMPTP and to promote the SAG leadership directive, which is an effective tactic, which is the interim agreement," Driver said, according to Variety. "Why is it that a smaller distribution company like Neon and STX International can meet the dream demands of what SAG is asking for — this is pre-negotiations — the dream version of SAG's wishlist, but a big company like Netflix and Amazon can't?"

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