The official Twitter account for The Walking Dead posted a cryptic statement that’s eating up fans as they struggle to figure out what it means. The tweet simply stated, “Don’t believe everything you hear.”
Because the account is controlled by Skybound Entertainment, the entertainment company founded in 2010 by Robert Kirkman and business partner David Alpert, the comment isn’t necessarily about the hit television series. However, most fans assume the tweet has something to do with the AMC drama in general, and the imminent departure of star Andrew Lincoln in specific.
Don’t believe everything you hear
— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) July 2, 2018
The tweet followed a new rumor that claims Lincoln will exit The Walking Dead with the fifth episode of Season 9, with his character Rick Grimes overwhelmed by a herd of walkers. Thus, the most likely scenario is that the Twitter account is attempting to signal to fans that the rumor is inaccurate. It would be a bit unusual for a series to lose its main character in the fifth episode of a 16 episode season, as most of the major events in the show’s history have occurred either in the midseason or season finales.
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It’s possible the tweet is even suggesting Rick might not be killed off at all. There are other ways a character could be written out of a series other than being killed off, but in the world of The Walking Dead, it is unusual for anyone to make it out alive.
Because the account is maintained by Skybound and there’s a new issue of The Walking Dead comic out this week, it’s possible the tweet is a reference to that. The story is titled “Together Strong,” so perhaps the tweet is suggesting the alliance between Alexandria and The Commonwealth is not going to work out well.
The only other major rumor about the series involves Jon Berenthel’s return as Shane. It seems unlikely that the tweet is a reference to that, though.
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A number of fans also believe the tweet is just an attempt to cover up that the leaked ending of Rick Grime is legitimate, and this is a smoke screen to cover up the spoiler months ahead of the episode’s airing.
The Walking Dead stars Andrew Lincoln (for now) as Rick Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Lauren Cohan (also for now) as Maggie Rhee, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier, Lennie James as Morgan Jones, Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler, Josh McDermitt as Eugene Porter, Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan. The series is expected to return on AMC for its ninth season in October, with an official date to be announced later this month at Comic-Con International in San Diego.