AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan hopes its zombiefied cash cow never dies. During a speech at the Barclays Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference on Wednesday he said that he hopes The Walking Dead lives on until 2022.
The Walking Dead is currently heading into its fourth season. AMC's show revolves around the journey of a group of survivers trying to live life in a zombie post-apocalypse. The show has been a ratings success for the company. Walking Dead's season three finale scored over 12.5 million viewers.
"We hope that zombies live forever, and we've just begun to find out what the post-apocalyptic world is like, so that we'll be sitting here at the Barclays conference in 2022 discussing the fact that Walking Dead is not over," says Sapan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
To make to 2022 the show would need to add nine more seasons to its run. The mark would give it a 13 season arc which is unheard of for a primetime one-hour drama on cable in the U.S.
However, Sapan says that the show will not 'jump the shark' because AMC will end its current lineup of shows when its creators are ready to let them go.
"We'll all suffer from some minor heartbreak when these shows come to a natural close. Like some of the best shows in history, there will be a mantle that exists sort of virtually in people's minds, and in the world maybe they'll actually put a statue somewhere. We will bring them to a close with the people who created them at the right time," adds Sapan.
The Walking Dead may have a difficult time making it to season 13. Two of the shows head writers have already left AMC because of disputes with producers. Original showrunner Frank Darabont left the show after the second season. The Hollywood Reporter reported that the decision came following budget disputes with the shows producers.
Darabont was replaced for the third season by Glen Mazzara. He later left the show at the end of the current season.
