We’ve all been on-board The Walking Dead ride for years. The AMC franchise is now heading into its sixteenth year of existence and there are still more stories ahead of it. You might say that it is starting to show the signs of slowing down considering that one of the ongoing shows within the TWD Universe is wrapping up this year, but as one will remain (along with potential plans for more offshoots), we wouldn’t count the juggernaut saga out just yet.
But we’re not hear to talk about the admittedly awesome spinoffs Daryl Dixon and Dead City today; no, we’re here to celebrate another one. For December 10 marks a very important day for fans of the Walking Dead franchise as it signified an important step towards the future by revisiting some of the most beloved characters from the franchise’s past.
AMC unveiled the first look at Rick Grimes’ return on this day two years ago
It’s a big day for Walking Dead fans all over the world. If you’re part of the fandom, there is a pretty good chance that you will know why. January 10 is an important date, as it allows fans to celebrate one of the most pivotal moments in the franchise’s recent past. We are, of course, talking about the fact that, on this day, two years ago, AMC unveiled the very first trailer for TWD spinoff The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
While this was always going to be an important event for the TWD fans considering that The Ones Who Live was one of three spinoffs designed to carry on the story of the franchise after The Walking Dead‘s conclusion in 2022, what made this trailer much more monumental than the others is that it marked the first look at Rick Grimes’ long-awaited return to the franchise.
Andrew Lincoln was the face of The Walking Dead for the vast majority of its run, but he made the decision to leave early on in its ninth season, with Rick being written out in such a way that his friends thought he had died in a bridge explosion (when in fact the character was kidnapped by the Civic Republic Military to be a part of their elite vision for the future). Although the actor did make a brief return to the TWD Universe in the parent show’s series finale, that was simply a tag designed to set up his and Michonne’s spinoff series.
Danai Gurira also reprised her role as Michonne in the spinoff, returning to the TWD Universe after her departure from The Walking Dead in season 10. Michonne had left Alexandria behind when she discovered that Rick might still be alive, promising their daughter Judith that she would return with answers. The Ones Who Live showcased both her desire to find him as well as Rick’s own desire to reunite with Michonne.
To say that fans had been waiting to see the pair share the screen once again would be an understatement. Lincoln left The Walking Dead in 2018 while Gurira departed in 2020. With the exception of the finale cameo, it would be six and four years, respectively, before they returned. In that time, there were plans for a Rick Grimes trilogy of movies (that ultimately fell through due to the pandemic, alongside the TWD Universe’s plans for spinoffs after the end of the main series) and, eventually, it evolved into the six-part miniseries known as The Ones Who Live.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. | Image courtesy AMC
The first look trailer was fans’ first chance to really get an idea of what the show would be about and to say that it delivered would be an understatement. Seeing Lincoln back as Rick and Gurira back as Michonne, it prompted flashbacks to the saga’s glory days, setting the stage for a moment that was years in the making. The vivid preview understood the assignment, delivering on all fronts and ensuring that we were ready to see Rick and Michonne back in action.
When the series itself came around on February 24, the excitement and buzz surrounding the Walking Dead Universe was back. The six-episode story that came after that was everything fans could have wanted. But, oh, to go back to the beginning and relive that first trailer for the first time.
