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With The Walking Dead returning to our screens for a fourth season, we are taking a look at what we can expect next from Robert Kirkman’s juggernaut franchise.
Many members of the cast have been attending interviews over the past few weeks, dropping hints about what’s to come for our favourite group of survivors.
Andrew Lincoln has divulged in an interview: “There’s around about 50 new characters, which puts obviously an enormous amount of pressure on the group with the practical necessities of food and water… It is a third-world environment that we’re existing in now.”
It has been rumoured that AMC want to create fear again within the fourth season, and this would be a good way of transferring the threat from the living and the dead.
This season we saw the entire population of Woodbury take refuge in the prison, and it’s been suggested that disease and sickness will play a huge part for fear in Season 4. We are beginning to see a mimicking of Kirkman’s graphic novels where disease is embodied through Rick and Carl’s solitary struggle around this point in the comic’s story arc. If AMC were to use disease for a new form of threat for season 4, the Woodbury population would be the perfect opportunity to introduce it.
The cast have also spoken about the dramatic losses their core survival group suffered over last season. In an interview Norman Reedus said “I hate it when one of the OGs goes, it really bums me out. It’s taken three seasons for people to get wrapped up in certain characters. I think once you invest in those characters to have those characters go is just like ‘Ah, man.’” However, Reedus believes that with so many new characters on the set for the fourth season, the fear of the first season will be recaptured. “I think the internal fear has always been something hanging in the wind, and who’s gonna f— over who and who can you trust?”
One episode in and we can already see Reedus’ predictions coming true with the death of a Woodbury resident and the attempted ambush of Rick.
However, fans of the hunter turned sex icon Daryl, played by Norman Reedus, will be disappointed as Daryl is rumoured for an on screen relationship with Melissa McBride who plays Carol on the show. This relationship has been in speculation for some time, but writers are still to confirm if Daryl will pursue romantic endeavours, or perhaps a new member from Woodbury will get in the way?
One thing we do know is the threat of the Governor still isn’t over. Executive producer Robert Kirkman hinted at the Governor’s return stating he will show up when we “least expect it”. A popular figure from Kirkmans long running graphic novel series, the Governor is due to return in style according to Andrew Lincoln “We’re going to meet again, and there will be blood, as they say.”
So, we can expect new faces, old faces, flashbacks galore, possibly some disease and definitely lots and lots of zombies in season 4 of The Walking Dead. One thing we know for sure is there will be much more focus on driving the story forwards.
Greg Nicotero says, “Every character has a beginning, middle and end, and we service those stories… It’s not as kinetic or action packed — it’s a much quieter season and very much more about the character development. Don’t get me wrong: We’ve still got some insane action sequences, but they’re being driven a lot more by story.”
Catch The Walking Dead every Friday on Fox.