AMC says it is in active discussions with Norman Reedus about what comes next for Daryl Dixon after The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon ends later this year. That is the clearest sign yet that Reedus may not be leaving the Walking Dead Universe when the spinoff wraps.
The timing matters because Reedus has spent 16 years playing the character, and fans have been watching closely since he posted behind-the-scenes photos from the final days on set of Daryl Dixon season 4 on Instagram last month. For readers searching now, that post looked like a farewell: Reedus said it was really hard to kill any of the final-episode photos, that the feeling of accomplishment when it was over was just amazing, and that it was a special season. He also said he could not wait for people to see the show.
Dan McDermott, AMC Chief Content Officer Dan McDermott, did not lock the future down, but he did move it forward. He said AMC is in active discussions with Reedus about what it should and can do for the next iteration of a story in the Walking Dead Universe for Daryl Dixon. That leaves the door open for another turn in the role, even as Daryl Dixon season 4 approaches its end.
That is where the story gets interesting. Reedus’ Instagram message read like someone closing a chapter, while AMC is describing a conversation that is still live. The two messages do not cancel each other out, but they do show that the end of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is not necessarily the end of Daryl Dixon himself.
What comes next has not been revealed, and that is the part that matters most now. AMC is talking about a next iteration, not announcing one, which means Reedus’ future in the Walking Dead Universe is still being shaped rather than settled.
