AMC plans its third series "Walking Dead" – Variety

AMC will serve another "Walking Dead" help, by launching a third series that tells the story of survivors in a world where the plague turns most of the civilized world into flesh-eating zombies.

The new drama, which does not have a title yet, will be playing alongside two other series of the series – "The Walking Dead" and "Fear the Walking Dead" – and will allow the cable network to broadcast the content. a growing "universe" of "Walking Dead" for most of the year, according to leaders of AMC Networks, the parent company of the point of sale. The new series will debut on AMC in 2020.

"This allows us to enter the market with a completely uninterrupted" Walking Dead "universe content, from Sunday after the Super Bowl to Thanksgiving," said Scott Collins, President of AMC Networks Advertising Sales. , in an interview.

The new series will be built around two young female protagonists, said Sarah Barnett, president of the company's entertainment networks, who said some of the young women portrayed in the group's flagship series during recent episodes have "strongly resonated." " to the public. . She declined to comment, noting that Scott Gimple, content manager of the "Dead" franchise, was eager to keep the details to a minimum.

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AMC is betting that a third series will be attractive at a time when the audience of some "Walking Dead" shows has been vanned – a dynamic that is not atypical for a program aired since the beginning of the year. autumn 2010, but still worrying. . "We believe in the underlying vitality of the" Walking Dead "universe," said Barnett. "Walking Dead" continues to be, by far, the number one show, she adds. "This show continues to be an incredible boon for us. This is something another cable or broadcast network would actually kill. In addition to news and sports programming, episodes of "The Walking Dead" represent many of the most watched TV shows in the current television season.

There are good reasons to keep the franchise. "The Walking Dead" continues to be one of the most expensive programs for advertisers, according to VarietyThe annual survey of prime-time advertising prices. A package of ads in "Dead" had an average cost of about $ 415,000 this season, according to media buyers. On television, only NFL football programs are more expensive. "Walking Dead" and "Fear the Walking Dead" attract some of the country's most prominent advertisers, according to Kantar's advertising expense tracker, including Apple. American Express, T-Mobile and Microsoft.

A third series could help bring new advertising revenue to the franchise as it evolves. According to Kantar Media, "Walking Dead" and "Fear The Walking Dead" generated $ 240.2 million in advertising revenue in 2018. However, this figure is down 8.4% from $ 262.1 million. the series has captured in 2017.

The new series will be co-created by Gimple and Matt Negrete, author and producer of "The Walking Dead" for five seasons and will act as a showrunner. Produced by AMC Studios, the series will begin production of 10 episodes this summer in Virginia.