AMC Has Ordered 6 Episodes of Darabont's TV Series THE WALKING DEAD

Now this is some fantastic news! AMC, the network that has brought us Mad Men and Breaking Bad, has ordered six full episodes of The Walking Dead, which will make up the full first season. We knew that the network greenlit a pilot episode which hasn't even been filmed yet, but I guess AMC sees the project's potential, and went ahead and ordered up six episodes! The script must be pretty damn amazing.

The Walking Dead is a comic book series that was created by Robert Kirkman. Frank Darabont (The Mist, Shawshank Redemption) has been attached as the writer and the director of the franchise from the very beginning. My guess is he'll only be working on the pilot episode, but it would be awesome if he planned on doing more. 

The series will premiere during AMC’s annual marathon of horror and thriller programming, which they have recently called Fearfest. Seeing as the The Walking Dead is a story about zombies, it should fit right in. 

Not too long ago it was reported that that Jon Bernthal has been cast in the series as Officer Shane, which is one of the Key players in the story. He is the best friend of the main protagonist, Officer Rick Grimes. The role of Grimes has not yet been cast but apparently Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone) may end up being cast in the role, as it stands now he's at the top of the list. His character is in search of a safe place to live for a group of zombie survivors including his family while the world is going to hell. I think Miller will do a great job in the role. 

AMC President Charlie Collier had this to say about the show,

AMC strives to make original shows that play like movies and The Walking Dead is a perfect complement to the network’s celebrated movie franchise, Fearfest, which has always been an important destination for our audience. With its depth of story and the remarkable talent attached, The Walking Dead gives us an opportunity to raise the bar significantly within this popular genre, and continue our commitment to being the home of premium programming on basic cable.

I'm a huge fan of zombie flicks, I love the comic book that this TV series is being adapted from, and I couldn't be more excited to see it brought to life! 

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