As fans of The Walking Dead prepare to say goodbye to the zombie apocalypse drama they’ve been watching for years, it seems like one former star is stirring up quite the speculation about his future with the series. Andrew Lincoln reunited with Norman Reedus in Georgia recently, as the AMC series is said to be filming its final episodes, so what’s going on?
Andrew Lincoln portrayed fan-favorite Rick Grimes on AMC’s The Walking Dead from 2010-2018, as well as one episode of Fear the Walking Dead in 2018. With TWD coming to an end, fans have been itching for one last glimpse of Rick on the small screen, in whatever form that may be, with the film trilogy taking a while to come to fruition. Over President’s Day weekend, a restaurant-owning fan in Georgia posted on Instagram that Lincoln and his BFF/former TWD co-star Norman Reedus came chow down. Now the question is why Lincoln is in the Peach State.
Looks like a fun time, even if Lincoln isn’t wearing anything offering clear signs of Rick Grimes’ return. But let’s dig into what could have led to the above photo happening in the first place.
Could It Mean Rick Grimes Will Appear In The Walking Dead’s Final Episode(s)?
Obviously the biggest question that comes to mind is whether or not this means that fans will see Rick Grimes once again on The Walking Dead proper before it ends. While it’s certainly possible that Andrew Lincoln is in Georgia to film some type of cameo or flashback scene, it’s not very likely if we’re actually seeing the actor in public. AMC would have definitely wanted to keep his return on the down-low, so him being out and about with another huge star from the series is not so secretive.
Last fall, Andrew Lincoln did celebrate the anniversary of his exit, and it’s always been clear that Rick still means a lot to to him. And it’s been said that he isn’t meant to be returning for the TV show, but whether or not those plans may have changed is yet to be seen, though his story won’t end with the series’ conclusion either way.
Will Andrew Lincoln Direct One Of The Walking Dead’s Last Eps?
Another possibility could be that Lincoln is actually directing an episode of The Walking Dead, rather than appearing in it. While AMC has a knack for announcing when a show alum is directing an episode, it’s possible they want to keep this one more secretive, even if Lincoln’s presence in Georgia isn’t completely clandestine.
It’s entirely possible that if that is the case, AMC is waiting until the episode is finished filming so to give fans a sneak preview of Lincoln’s return. However, they may also not want to get their hopes up in case a cameo is not happening.
Or Is The Rick Grimes Movie Finally Happening?
The other possibility may even be bigger than a potential Walking Dead cameo. A Rick Grimes movie has been in development for quite a while now. Last summer, The Walking Dead universe EP Greg Nicotero opened up about the long delay and at the time, he didn’t know when it was happening and noted that everyone on the movie is trying to get the script perfect. Has the time finally come?
Perhaps Andrew Lincoln was in Georgia for a meeting with Scott Gimple and other TWD producers to talk about the movie. It’s definitely the most likely possibility of the three, though it’s still possible he was in the state for a completely different project or reason. Reportedly, Andrew Lincoln has already filmed his episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities so it’s unlikely it had anything to do with that.
Hopefully soon fans find out just what Andrew Lincoln was doing in Georgia with Norman Reedus, but in the meantime, the final season of The Walking Dead airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.