The Walking Dead Spinoff Delay Proves The Main Show Must Return With Season 12

The Walking Dead's latest spinoff delay proves the main show must return with season 12, resolving the problem while providing a worthwhile future. The Walking Dead series finale saw the original show branch off into various spinoffs. This includes the ongoing Dead City and Daryl Dixon, alongside the finished miniseries The Ones Who Live.

Dead City season 2 ended in June 2025, while the upcoming Daryl Dixon season 3 will be returning to AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, September 7. Both shows act as ongoing continuations of stories from the original series, though far-removed from one another. But they also prove why season 12 of the main series has to happen someday.

Dead City & Daryl Dixon Have Very Different Production Schedules

The Spinoffs Are Being Filmed At A Much Different Pace

While the ongoing spinoffs are centered around familiar characters, they've had very different histories since premiering in 2023. While Daryl Dixon has managed to put out one new season every September, Dead City had a two-year delay between seasons 1 and 2. This is because both Dead City and Daryl Dixon have had strikingly different production schedules.

Daryl Dixon season 2 began production not long after season 1 was completed, with filming being far enough along that the 2023 Hollywood strikes didn't impact its production much. Season 3 has also already been filmed, with season 4 in production as of writing. The cast of Daryl Dixon has been consistently filming new episodes on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Dead City season 2 didn't enter production until April 2024, almost a year after season 1 ended. Because production hadn't started before the strikes, the show wasn't ahead of schedule like Daryl Dixon was. Filming was also moved from New York to Boston, potentially adding to season 2's hurdles.

These core differences in production caused Dead City season 2 to release almost two years after season 1, while Daryl Dixon has managed to maintain a yearly release schedule. While Dead City season 3 hasn't been confirmed, it has a chance to change this. However, another, easier solution for these delays also exists.

The Walking Dead Season 12 Happening Would Resolve The Delay Problem

The Franchise Could Embrace The Release Schedule That Made It So Successful

Dead City's delays in production could easily be resolved if The Walking Dead season 12 were to actually happen. For now, the shows have been split into various narratives that don't have anything to do with one another. However, the characters involved all come from the same Virginia communities, being core focuses of the main show for a few years.

If season 12 were to happen, it would significantly impact the delays that Dead City in particular has experienced during its production. Following the same 16-episode format as the original show, a new season could be filmed just like previous seasons, with a set production month every year. This would ensure consistency, leading to a smaller likelihood of delays.

The Walking Dead always returned around the same time in October each year, with eight episodes airing before the series went back on break until February of the following year. If season 12 were to bring spinoff characters back together, it would help make their stories more consistent, with a rigid schedule keeping production from changing course.

It would also allow characters who haven't seen one another in quite some time to come back into the forefront. The Ones Who Live ended with Rick and Michonne returning to Alexandria, something that could be followed up on in season 12. It opens up doors that are not only possible, but make the most sense for the franchise's evolution.

The Walking Dead Season 12 Is The Next Logical Narrative Step

It's Inevitable Everyone's Stories Will Come Together Once Again

Even without considering how it would fix production delays, The Walking Dead season 12 seems like the next logical narrative step for the franchise. Chief creative officer Scott Gimple confirmed crossover plans between Dead City and Daryl Dixon at some point in the future, with both shows still building their current narratives before getting there.

Although the stories in Dead City and Daryl Dixon are far-removed from one another, their connection through the main series means it's inevitable everyone will come together once again. Daryl and Carol in particular are still trying to find their way back to the Virginia communities, making their arrival in America an eventual conclusion.

As for Dead City, the show appears to be moving in a direction where Maggie and Negan will have to escape Manhattan at some point. However, with New Babylon potentially posing a threat now that they've conquered the city, it's unclear if this means they'll return to the Bricks, or be forced even further south, back to their old haunts.

No matter what happens in either spinoff, it seems logical for the franchise to continue with season 12 from both narrative and production standpoints. The shows will eventually have to come back together, resolving a number of character storylines by seeing familiar faces interact again after so long, such as Rick and Daryl.

It would also help prevent further delays in The Walking Dead spinoff production, since a single show would revert back to a yearly production schedule. Although there's still plenty of storytelling left before the series gets to this point, it seems to be inevitable. Given recent delays, though, it also makes sense logistically as a next step for the franchise.