Since the premier of Dead City, The Walking Dead fans have been treated to tidbits of teasers about another TWD spin-off show, this time centered around Daryl Dixon. An exciting trailer was released during that premiere, but we’ve seen a few other goodies since then.
Daryl Dixon Spin-Off
The Daryl Dixon spin-off was first announced back in September of 2020 as a story focusing on Daryl in Paris, France. How did he get there, why is he there, and who will be with him? Those are just a few of the questions that have surrounded this show for almost three years.
The trailer shown during the Dead City premier did answer the question of how Daryl got to France as he steps off a makeshift boat that presumably floated across the Atlantic Ocean. We also know that he headed out on the water to look for Rick, although it’s not clear if he meant to go to France specifically.
“If I don’t make it back, I want him to know I tried,” he says into a recorder. “Hell, I’m still trying.” Is he talking about Rick? That’s my guess, but you never know with this show!
The trailer shows off some wonderfully destroyed locations around France from a railyard in Marseille to what looks to be the Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge on his way north to Paris. Along the way, the camera focuses on a spray-painted bit of graffiti that says “Pouvoir des Vivants” which means “Power of the Living” (thanks to Val for the translation!). The building at which he arrives at the end of the teaser is mysterious, but it looks to be some sort of lab or research center.
Another much shorter trailer shows Daryl swimming to shore after floating on an overturned small boat as he explains pretty much the same thing he said at the beginning of the other trailer. We see a couple of different versions of this trailer as some were exclusive to various outlets, but they all show essentially the same thing. We now know he came across the ocean on his own and he’s on a mission.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Reedus said that Daryl’s journey “was a long one. Longer and even harder and weirder than you would think. He was so close to getting what he wanted and to where he wanted to be. And, of course, in Walking Dead rules, he had it ripped away. To Daryl, you might as well have dropped him on the moon. This world now, it’s bigger, it’s deeper, and just as heavy, if not heavier.”
But there’s one very important behind-the-scenes shot that has everyone questioning reality and the meaning of life. On June 22, a France-based Instagram account revealed a shot of Carol actress Melissa McBride along with Norman Reedus in what appears to be a few full shots from the show. And while AMC did not confirm the inclusion of McBride in the Daryl spin-off just yet, Negan actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan spilled the beans in a big way.
“Well, well,” he said in a tweet. “We’re sorry, Norman… for talking oodles of s—t to you when we thought Melissa wasn’t doing [the] show! Golly… this must [have] been in the works for ages!
“Twas from the start,” he said. “Goddamn it’s great seeing these two together! Great seeing these two together! Can’t wait.”
One fan pointed out that Carol’s re-inclusion in the show may have been spawned in response to the crazy feedback received when it was first announced that she wouldn’t be Reedus’ co-star. But ole Jeffrey Dean Morgan nipped that one in the bud, too.
“Nope. Opposite. Toxic is toxic,” he said. “Nobody wants to hear it. Read it. It’s just the love between norm and Melissa is stronger than the bs from outside.”
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So far, it’s pretty clear that this Daryl Dixon spin-off will be epic. There’s a change of (gorgeous) scenery. There’s Daryl. There will be fast-moving and climbing “variant” undead. And there will be Carol.
This one just moved to the top of my most-anticipated spin-off list.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will premier this fall on AMC and AMC+.
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