It seems like only last month (er, because it was) that we were delightedly reporting word of Frank Darabont’s zombie TV series The Walking Dead getting picked up as a series by US cable channel AMC. Back then, there was speculation that Johnny Lee Miller would nab the lead. But now AMC has announced that Andrew Lincoln has instead won the role.
Coming Soon grabbed the press release announcing the former star of Teachers, This Life and Enduring Love as the main man in the adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s zomb-apocalyptic graphic novel series.
Lincoln will play Rick Grimes, a small-town police officer who must help a group of survivors to find safe haven in a world overrun with shambling, brain-craving zomboids. Already aboard is Jon Bernthal, who will co-star as his fellow officer, Shane.
"Andrew is an incredibly gifted actor. He has the presence and attitude to bring this character and story to life. We are thrilled that he is joining the cast,” gushes AMC’s Joel Stillerman, presumably without adding, “and we saw him kill a zombie once – it was amazing!”
In other good news about the series, Darabont will be joined on the show’s behind-the-scenes creative staff by writer/producer Jack LoGiudice, who has worked on the superb Sons Of Anarchy, which can only be A Good Thing.
It’ll film this summer and invade US telly in October, with hopefully little delay before it makes it over here.