Longtime star Andrew Lincoln shocked fans of The Walking Dead in July when he confirmed rumors that he will leave the hit AMC drama with the upcoming ninth season. But while his days as Rick Grimes are numbered, he may not be quite finished with the series just yet. He hopes to return in the 10th season, only behind the camera.
“I’m going back,” Lincoln told Entertainment Weekly. “I’m going back to shadow a director, and my intention is to direct next year.”
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If Lincoln’s plan works out, he will be the third Walking Dead actor to helm an episode of the franchise. The first two to do so, while following a similar plan, are Fear the Walking Dead‘s Colman Domingo, who directed the episode “Weak,” and Abraham actor Michael Cudlitz, who will make his directorial debut on the upcoming episode “Stradivarius.”
“I can’t be that far away because I can’t bear it,” Lincoln jokingly added about his potential return. “That’s how much I am invested in the show and the continuation of the story.”
Premiering Sunday, Oct. 7, on AMC, the ninth season of The Walking Dead stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Lauren Cohan 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.
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