'The Walking Dead' Season 6 Trailer: A Deep Dive Into the Insanity
The trailer for The Walking Dead Season 6 debuted at San Diego Comic-Con, and it reveals that the AMC drama picks up right where it left off — with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) losing his damn mind.
The teaser aired during Walking Dead’s panel, which boasted a full lineup: actors Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Melissa McBride, Danai Gurira, Chandler Riggs, Sonequa Martin-Green, Michael Cudlitz, and Lennie James; showrunner Scott M. Gimple; and executive producers Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, and Greg Nicotero.
Related: ‘The Walking Dead’ at Comic-Con: Naked Rick, Tested Morgan, Wily Wolves
The long trailer (over four minutes) is stocked with tantalizing glimpses at the season ahead, which premieres Oct. 11. Rick and crew are still in Alexandria, but he’s fighting to gain control of the community from Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh). And when Rick wants something, he’ll spill blood to get it.
Related: 'The Walking Dead’s’ Tovah Feldshuh on Season 6
Here are the best bits — and some burning questions we have — from the trailer and the panel:
Rick vs. Morgan
As we said, Rick has gone totally bonkers. He’s become scarier than the zombies, unleashing threats and beatdowns left and right. “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?” he warns one person at the end of his gun. Yeah, we’re talking to an insane person.
The trailer sets up an epic battle between Rick and the recently returned Morgan (James). Morgan is heavily featured and is seen in serious conversation with Deanna and other leaders. “I know Rick. I can stop him,” he says. “We have to.”
Us vs. Them
Last season already set up the division between Rick’s crew and the people of Alexandria. That power struggle continues. Check out this image of a big group meeting — let’s see how many characters we can spot. Standing in the doorway: Eugene, a new character played by Ethan Embry, Carol, and Morgan. Clustered in the back are a bunch of red shirts who will no doubt be zombie bait. On and around the couch are Glen, Maggie, Tara (recovered!), Michonne, Jessie, Tobin, Rick, and Abraham.
Of all the new cast members, Embry gets the most screentime in the trailer. Details of his character are unknown, but he and Rick seem to be part of some kind of raid or zombie fight, with Embry screaming, “We’re not ready!”
Someone we DON’T see in this meeting? Merritt Wever, the Emmy-winning actress from Nurse Jackie, who is set to join this season. But we could totally see her being involved in a storyline related to…
The Wolves
The mysterious “Wolves” from the Season 5 finale will be back, “Hopefully in a way you don’t expect,” Gimple said during the panel. At the end of the trailer, Daryl seems to have been captured by some people in the woods. Are they connected to the Wolves somehow? “I ain’t who you think I am,” a tied-up Daryl tells one guy with a gun.
Family Feud
While much of the conflict seems to pit Rick’s group against the Alexandrians, there’s also dissension in the ranks. Glen and Maggie whisper about keeping an eye on Carol, while Carol spies on Daryl as he kills a walker. RIP Carol/Daryl? And there’s friction between Daryl and Rick. Is that why Daryl goes off into the woods and gets captured?
It seems clear, though, that the danger within the walls of Alexandria is just as much of a threat as the zombies. Like, who is that hooded character running through the street with a gun?
And who are Jessie and her son hiding from, if abusive Pete is dead?
Last thoughts …
* Enid (Katelyn Nacon) gets quite a bit of screentime in the trailer, which makes us wonder if she and Carl will ignite a teen romance?
* The Walking Dead is well-known for stunning, sometimes gut-punching visuals and action sequences, and the trailer gives us a few sneak peeks at that, including a zombie on fire getting thrown over the Alexandria wall.
* The producers want to hire someone else from The Wire. They’ve already featured Chad Coleman as Tyreese and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Bob. “I’ll just say we tried for someone this year and it actually didn’t work out,” Gimple said. “We aren’t through with that cast yet.”
* Which couple does Lincoln’s mother ship? “My mom is desperate for Rick and Michonne to get together,” he revealed.
* A Walking Dead/Game of Thrones crossover? Never gonna happen. But Gimple joked about it in reference to Jon Snow. “He’s not coming back. He’s dead. That happens in shows sometimes… unless he comes back as a Walker.”
The Walking Dead returns Oct. 11 on AMC.
*Additional reporting by Robert Chan
