Robert Kirkman Confirms Andrew Lincoln's Exit from The Walking Dead Next Season

Until today, there has been no official word on the expected departure of The Walking Dead lead Andrew Lincoln. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, series creator Robert Kirkman has confirmed via a pre-recorded interview with Kevin Smith what fans have hoped wasn't true -- that Rick's time on the show is coming to an end sometime next season. When asked about the earlier reports of Lincoln making his exit, Kirkman said bluntly that "It's looking that way."

Kirkman echoed the accepted explanation that the actor has been filming year after year away from his family and is looking for a change that will bring him closer to home.

Do not expect Rick Grimes' time on the show to end with a whimper, however. Kirkman revealed that they have big plans for this exit and that they are doing something special to mark the occasion, which will be a must-see for fans of the character and AMC franchise as a whole.

You can check out the interview below, which only runs for about 3 minutes, and hear it from the man himself. This is sad news but it's at least good to know that this is now official so we aren't waiting for a curveball that never happens. It's a done deal.

Although new showrunner Angela Kang would not confirm the news herself, she did offer some insight into where Rick as a character is going into his final season.

This point in the show is going to be the biggest departure from the comic series yet, but life must go on. We'll have more for you on The Walking Dead from San Diego Comic-Con in the coming days.

About the Author

Chris Morse

Programmer by day, writer by night. Having grown up surrounded by plenty of horror movies and video games, it only made sense for Chris to combine all of these passions into one place: Dead Entertainment. Whether he's working on designs, tinkering with the platform, or just writing up the latest horror news, he's sure to be hard at work keeping the wheels turning on this website no matter what time of day it is. When not coding or gaming, you can find him donning a Cheesehead and heading to the Midwest to cheer on his favorite NFL team, the Green Bay Packers. #GoPackGo

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