Summary

  • Despite the spinoff series, a movie is still needed to properly conclude The Walking Dead franchise and tie together all the different narratives.
  • A movie would provide the opportunity for characters from the main series and spinoffs to reunite and wrap up any ongoing storylines, especially with the potential threat of the CRM.
  • The movie would be the best way to give Rick Grimes a chance to reunite with his friends and take on a final opponent, providing a definitive ending to the long-term story of The Walking Dead.

Despite the decision to bring Rick Grimes back for a TV show spinoff, a movie is still the perfect way to end the Rick Grimes movies became a spinoff series, with The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live now set to continue Rick and Michonne's stories on the small screen. The change of plans means The Walking Dead has no current plans of heading to theaters.

The Ones Who Live spinoff does give Andrew Lincoln the chance to return to The Walking Dead and finish the protagonist's story, however, it still feels somewhat disted from the main show. On top of that, the spinoff format that the franchise has adopted only confirms that despite the main show's conclusion, the story of The Walking Dead and its main characters are far from over. There does not appear to be a clear end goal in sight yet for the franchise's flagship characters on TV, but when it does eventually end, a movie is the most logical choice to wrap up these different stories.

A Walking Dead Movie Could Tie All Spinoff Shows Together

The Walking Dead: Rick Grimes and the gang.

With the spinoff shows furthering The Walking Dead's story, a movie allows the perfect opportunity to tie all these different narratives together. While Daryl Dixon season 2 already confirmed, the spinoff shows look likely to focus on their own stories with multiple seasons being targeted.

A movie gives the perfect platform to bring these characters together one last time as well as characters from the main series to wrap up any ongoing storylines. Development of the Commonwealth in the spinoffs remains uncertain, but it's almost guaranteed that more information about the CRM will be revealed. The potential movie could focus on the characters reuniting to take on the CRM after Daryl's European adventure is finished, and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffery Dean Morgan) have settled their business in New York. This would set up The Walking Dead for one last final arc in the form of a feature-length film.

A Movie Is The Best Way For The Walking Dead To End Properly

The Walking Dead Rick's Final Episode and Judith Grimes

The Walking Dead still has a lot of stories left to explore, wrapping up with a movie would be the best option to conclude the long-term story. Giving Rick a chance to reunite with his daughter Judith (Cailey Fleming) and the rest of his friends to take on one final opponent seems fitting of the story that has been told since 2010. The spinoffs leave some uncertainty as to the direction the showrunners may go or who could still be killed off; however, if all the key protagonists do survive, it could allow the survivors to fight together again, which hasn't happened since they were united against the Saviors in season 8.

The movie could go with other options, be it the death of Rick Grimes, a cure being discovered, or an alternative plot, but a definitive ending is still required. The original show may have concluded with relative satisfaction, but the spinoffs only emphasize it was not a proper ending. Finishing Rick's story is essential to ending the franchise and while they could do so through The Ones Who Live, it's not AMC's best option. Each spinoff should instead focus on its own story before letting The Walking Dead have its true ending in the form of a movie.