Fans of the comic book series know that Michonne is probably one of the most badass characters in the series and most of us can’t wait to see her in the AMC television series. Until then, we have a new action figure of the character that has been released. The action figure comes as a part of the exclusive swag that series creator Robert Kirkman will make available at his booth during Comic Con next month.
The figure comes from McFarlane Toys and is a limited edition collectible called Bloody Michonne.
The six inch figure will be selling for $25 and is fully accessorized along with 22 points of articulation. The packaging will feature new art by Charlie Adlard. It also comes with a bloody version of Michonne’s katana sword along with various implements such as her hammer, pliers, and power drill.
Michonne is played by Danai Gurira in the television series and will be a series regular beginning in the 3rd season which premieres in October.
There are a few things we already know about the upcoming season 3 of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” We have already seen David Morrissey as the Governor of Woodbury, but we haven’t seen much of the actual set of the new season. Thankfully, a new behind-the-scenes set video along with some photos has been released to give fans an inside look at the set of Woodbury, and also the return of an old friend.
Spoilers are ahead!
In the set photos, we definitely get a good feel of how much of the season will look, at least visually. We also see what looks like the return of a character.
Michael Rooker appears in one of the photos as Merle Dixon, brother to a fan favorite zombie survivor Daryl. We hadn’t seen Merle in a while, except when he was inhabiting Daryl’s dreams. In fact, the last time we saw the real person Merle, he was handcuffed to a pipe on a roof with a zombie horde about to have dinner. While we do not know what context this character is returning in, it is safe to say that he is probably pretty pissed at Rick.
The behind-the-scenes video was filmed in Senoia, Georgia which provides the general scenery and set for season 3. You can watch the video below:
For avid fans of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” or newcomers looking to get a late start, the network will air all 19 episodes from the show’s first two seasons during its Season 3 Preview Weekend July 7-8 beginning at 11:30 a.m./10:30 central each day.
The event, which airs one week before Comic-Con, will culminate with a Talking Dead live primetime special on July 8 at 8 p.m./9 central. The one-time-only airing of “Talking Dead,” hosted by Chris Hardwick (Nerdist), will be followed by a never-before-seen black and white version of “The Walking Dead” pilot episode at 10/9c.
This version of the pilot was created specifically for fans of Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead comic book,” according to AMC, as it holds true to the book’s black and white art style. Hardwick will introduce each episode of the marathon from the set of season three in Atlanta, so fans will be able to see some of the new sets.
With help from cast members and producers, he will set up the plot of each episode, and discuss climactic moments and characters. Each episode will close with new character and scene-specific content from the first two seasons, including behind-the-scenes footage and sit-down interviews with cast members.
During the hour-long “Talking Dead” event, shot live in Los Angeles, Hardwick will offer a look at season three, including a scene from the new season, video interviews with the cast, a tour of the new set and a look at props and wardrobes.
The show’s executive producers and celebrity fans will also be featured.
“The Walking Dead’s” involvement at Comic-Con will be discussed, as well as a look at the set-up of the show’s booth for the event.
At one point during the live show, Hardwick will provide a code to viewers, which they can use to enter The Walking Dead Watch to Win Sweepstakes. The winner will receive a trip to Atlanta and a “stagger on” role as a zombie on the show, according to AMC.
Filming has begun on season three of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” and the network released the first promo video which shows viewers what’s happening on set.
The two and a half minute video features clips of cast members Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan, IronE Singleton and Laurie Holden, as well as several of the showrunners telling fans what to expect in the upcoming season.
Among the future plot twists are two new characters- the Governor and katana-wielding Michonne. Cohan said that other characters who have not yet been announced would appear as well.
Reedus also confirms that romance will blossom for a couple of characters.
Producer Gale Anne Hurd also confirmed what fans already know, that the prison will play a large role in season three.
It’s a journey into the unknown, and it’s a huge gamble,” Lincoln says in the video. “But it just shows how desperate they are.”
The cast members, who are covered in fake blood during the video, also promise an abundance of zombie kills. Ernest Dickerson, who directed the season two finale, will also direct the first episode of season three, which Hurd says gives a sense of symmetry to the premiere.
Singleton says season three will top all of season two. Lincoln makes note that the overall pace will be darker, harder, faster and deeper.
“It’s incredibly dangerous, and it’s thrilling,” he adds.
The third season is scheduled to premiere in fall 2012 and will feature 16 episodes. The series is based on the series of comic books of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard; it was developed for television by Frank Darabont, and is executive produced by Robert Kirkman and Glen Mazzara.
Many television channels view timeshifting services as bad for business, but not AMC. The network reported sizable ratings boosts for “The Walking Dead” and “Mad Men” due in part, it says, to Netflix and other online streaming services.
Last year, Netflix purchased the exclusive rights to stream every back episode of AMC shows “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” and “The Walking Dead.”
According to DigitalTrends, AMC reported that its revenues were up about 40 percent in the first three months of 2012. Profits were up 20 percent thanks to strong ratings and performance of the new season “The Walking Dead.”
They haven’t been shy about vocalizing the role of Netflix in their ratings. Part of the reason for the network’s success, according to CEO Josh Sapan, was the working with Netflix and Amazon.
2012 got off to a strong start for AMC Networks, with double digit increases in net revenues, AOCF and operating income,” Sapan said. “Continued viewer enthusiasm for our programming resulted in ratings gains for our national networks, most notably AMC’s The Walking Dead, which ended its second season with nine million total viewers, an increase of 50 percent over last season’s finale. The series reigns as the highest-rated scripted drama in basic cable history in advertiser’s key demos. The fifth season of AMC’s Mad Men currently ranks as the most watched season ever of the series, outperforming the prior season by double-digits. These successes underscore the strength of our original programming strategy, which continues to drive audience and advertiser demand for our networks.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sapan later went into more detail during a conference call,
New viewers are finding these shows on a digital service, catching up on prior seasons and then tuning into AMC for new seasons in greater numbers, many for the first time.”
AMC isn’t without its problems though. Dish Networks, a satellite TV operator, has decided to drop the channel from its lineup. Dish cited low ratings as the reason for the cut, but said it was the result of ongoing litigation between the two companies over its participation in Voom HD, a collection of HD channels that Dish decided to pick up, but dropped in 2008.
However, “The Walking Dead” continues to do extremely well on the channel. After premiering in October 2010, it has broken several ratings records and continues to be well received by critics and viewers. It has also received many award nominations, including a Writers Guild of America Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Television Series Drama. The series has also attained strong Nielsen ratings, beating various records for a cable series, including receiving 9 million viewers for its season two finale to become the most-watched basic cable drama telecast in history.
AMC began production on season three of “The Walking Dead” Monday, and Executive Producer Robert Kirkman did an on-set interview with AMCtv.com to discuss his thoughts and expectations for the upcoming 16 episodes.
According to Kirkman, Season three will see several changes, some of which were teased in season two’s finale such as that the group will at last depart from Herschel’s farm after it is overrun by walkers and that they will arrive at a seemingly abandoned prison, where a numerous plot twists unfold.
When it comes to the prison, Kirkman said he is very excited for fans to see the prison set.
They’ve taken a lot of what you see in the comic book series and brought it to life in ways that I didn’t think possible,” he said. “This is going to be one of the most impressive looking things that’s ever been put together for a show.”
Season 3 will also see the addition of new characters such as the sinister Governor (David Morrissey), whose actions suggest humans may pose more of a threat than the undead.
The plan was always to evolve naturally into a place where the zombies essentially become a manageable threat,” Kirkman said. “You know the rules. You know how to deal with them. To a certain extent they become something to not really be scared of unless you mess up. Humans, however, do not follow any rules and will always do something that surprises you and are capable of doing things far worse than trying to eat you…We’re definitely going to be seeing a lot of horrible things.”
Along with the Governor, fan-favorite zombie slicer Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, will also be joining the cast.
Kirkman explained he was impressed with the sword skills she is picking up in training.
She’s going to be doing all of the hard character stuff and drama that The Walking Dead is known for, but she has tremendous physical capability and the sword training that I’ve seen is absolutely amazing,” he said. “I can’t wait to see her hack up some zombies.”
Season 3 will have 16 episodes, making it the show’s longest season yet. With the extra time, Kirkman said he looks forward to packing in as much character development and action as possible.
The actors and the crew and a lot of the producers would not be thrilled to hear me saying this, but I love doing 16 episodes a year,” he said. “I think the more the better, and I think it’s a lot of fun. We are going to get to tell bigger stories, and tell more stories, and get into the characters a lot more. So the more the merrier.”
AMC wisely had renewed “The Walking Dead” for it’s third season on October 25th, 2011 after the season 2 premiere broke cable ratings records. Actual filming for season 3 is scheduled to begin shooting in another area, Senoia, on May 31, 2012.
AMC announced Wednesday that Robert Kirkman is adapting his newest graphic novel series, Thief of Thieves for the cable television network.
The Walking Dead writer/executive producer is working with Chic Eglee (Dexter, The Shield) and David Alpert (The Walking Dead) to develop the new show.
Kirkman, who still writes monthly issues of The Walking Dead, has released two issues of Thief of Thieves, each of which sold out on its respective release date.
The third issue was released on April 11th from Skybound/Image Comics.
Though The Walking Dead continues to break viewership records with its portrayal of the zombie apocalypse (the season two finale drew 9 million total viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter), viewers of Kirkman’s new show will notice a distinct lack of “walkers.”
Thief of Thieves, as its title suggests, is instead a heist story. The series is about Conrad Paulson, “the world’s greatest thief,” according to skybound.com.
He vows to steal only what’s already been stolen, in an effort to right the great wrongs of his life. But he may be too late for redemption.”
Kirkman said he hopes his adaptation will bring something new to television, just as The Walking Dead did.
Much like The Walking Dead brought horror to television in a unique and groundbreaking way, I feel Thief of Thieves can do the same thing for heist stories, showing the humanity of all the characters, including the criminals,” Kirkman said in an AMC release.
While the announcement has evoked much excitement from Kirkman’s fans, one question seems prevalent.
Will starting the show so early in the comic series compromise the quality or direction of the story?
Not much of the story will have been fleshed out, so characters and arcs could have to develop simultaneously. For most writers, this would seem a daunting task, but Kirkman’s track record suggests there is no need to worry.
Kirkman said he feels his work is in good hands at AMC, which adds to the success of his projects.
AMC recognizes the limitless ideas generated by the comic industry,” Kirkman said in a release. “Their dedication to bringing The Walking Dead to life as a TV show has been key to its success and I’m excited about the potential of Thief of Thieves to reach similar levels of success.”
AMC’s “The Walking Dead”, continues to garner high ratings. First it was broken in October 2011 with the season 2 premiere of the show. Clocking in 7.3 million viewers. In February, the show did it again, raising the bar to 8.1 million viewers for the mid-season premiere, the highest in cable history. Well, it was up until the season finale last Bloody Sunday. Again it has shattered its own basic-cable ratings for a second time this season. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the show brought in 9 million viewers. A zombie show that draws in mindless zombies that infect and create more mindless zombies. Go figure.
As I take out my leather journal that contains the secrets of the future; dyed the color of police telephone box blue; I would like to issue a warning to any who have not watched AMC’s “The Walking Dead”, especially the season two finale.
Spoilers: You have been warned.
A herd is formed by the appearance of a helicopter. One moved towards it with purpose. others followed. Then they kept walking a straight line, not knowing who was following whom. It was like watching so many hipsters going towards the Apple store for their new iPad 3.
Now that Shane is dead, the invisible force field that protected the farm and all that dwell on it has weakened. I think it was powered by the undiscovered fission produced by high school drama. Nature of course abhors a vacuum, so an zombie herd immediately appears to fill the void that Shane’s homicidal tendencies has left behind. Could the season finale actually be about surviving a real zombie threat? Sweet Jeebus! This is one episode of “The Walking Dead” I did not see coming for once.
In true zombie genre fashion, everyone flips out and makes moves that are questionable to survival. It’s as if this is everyone’s first exposure to real zombies and has put them into shock.
Rick somehow gets flanked by zombies that were originally far behind him. Rick and Carl then run into a barn, thus getting Carl and himself boxed inside. Rick then lets zombies into the barn. Instead of running, casually walks to the ladder almost within arm’s reach of being killed. Carl then sets zombies on fire with kerosene, while he and Carl wait in the protective comfort of wood and hay shelter. They set the fire on the ground, so how could it possibly spread further?
Then there’s the rest of the group, who are unable to form coherent strategies without their genius leader Rick; or the sound of someone flipping out.
Team Humans first plan: Waste ammo and gas, driving around the farm in circles and shooting the walkers. The idea is to get the attention of the dead and lead them off the farm. Instead, let’s everyone drive, sow chaos and do donuts in the grass.
Team Humans second plan: Attempt to evacuate fifteen minutes after the walkers are first spotted.
Hershel does his best to stay as long as possible. He needs to have the farm. It’s his legacy, plus it’s always good to own land.
Lori can’t seem to keep a track of her child. So she holds up the evacuation to look for him some more. In fact, no one keeps an eye on Carl. It’s not as if they’re engaged in work all the time. Why can’t anyone keep an eye on the kid? Here’s an idea. How about give the kid a mentor, who passes on skills that he can later use to survive? When the kid learns all that he can, he’s released from that mentor and on to the next babysitter. If you want off babysitting duty, make the kid demonstrate a new skill with competence. Sorted!
Team Humans third plan: Drive away and hope for the best. There is no set meeting place or technology to help them communicate. The plague you see has somehow taken out all walkie-talkies and CB radios.
Team Zombies plan: Find live flesh and eat them. It’s worked out rather well. I hope they win.
Oh, and some supporting cast get eaten. Really, let’s stop the RV and park right outside a burning barn surrounded by zombies. Oh mister red shirt. I hardly knew your name.
Once the immediate threat are over, it’s time to sink back into drama. To save time, let’s just list them off.
Lori is mad at Rick for killing Shane in self defence.
– Yet Lori was also the one to tell Rick that Shane was a threat.
– She also went out of her way to explain to Shane that she is thankful for all the things he’s done to protect her and Carl thus far.
– Lori also goes out of her way to tell Shane that she doesn’t know who the father is of the unborn child within her, again giving Shane false hope.
Carol wants to be feel safe. To do this, she needles Rick with her nagging, while attempting to get Daryl to turn on Rick. You know, because he’s the leader they deserve, not the one that they need. In the awesome Batman sort of way.
Carl begins to cry knowing that his dad has killed Shane, even though he’s responsible for indirectly killing Dale. Stupid kid.
Rick lays out how their new situation will work, which is:
1. Everyone shuts up.
2. Everyone does as he says.
Everyone appears upset at this outburst and are shocked, as if they were oblivious to their own idiocy which causes it. It’s almost as if you can hear the gears of mutiny turning.
Instantly the force field is back up and no more real zombie threats are to be had.
While other plots may have appeared within the season finale; such as the television series first introduction to the sword-wielding heroine, Michonne, played by Danai Gurira. The best part of the finale is the finale shot. A backdrop of the prison, which in the gloom of the pale moon light, looks like Castle Hogwarts. If we’re lucky, maybe Snape will replace Shane.
::::Warning Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen season 2::::
AMC’s mega-hit show “The Walking Dead” is heading to its season finale (but thankfully it has been renewed!) and the body count of cast members is mounting. But just because major characters have already bit the dust, doesn’t mean fans can relax. Showrunner, Glen Mazzara, has promised even more losses for our group of survivors.
In the last two episodes of season 2 have seen the Rick’s group lose two of its pivotal members. Fans saw the shocking loss of Dale and then the not-so shocking, kind of had it coming, death of Shane the groups #2.
Mazzara said Thursday during a conference call with reporters,
“If you count up all the deaths, we’re on a big killing spree here. There’s more bloodshed coming. These characters have felt that they are safe on this farm and they’ve been wrong. I guarantee there will be bloodshed.”
With 13 remaining members of the group, it is pretty much a wildcard on who could be the next to join Sophia, Dale and Shane as casualties this season.
Starting with Rick, who is played by Andrew Lincoln, we can safely assume he is going to survive. Even in the original comic book, he is going 94 issues strong sans one limb. Mazzara has said that the deaths have helped develop Lincoln’s character the most. He went on to say, “[Shane’s death] is a statement about our main character, that he’s evolving as a person and as a leader and what he’s willing to do.” Basically, fans can reasonably rest assured that Rick won’t be killed off anytime soon.
It seems there aren’t any fans who still like Lori, played by Sarah Wayne Callies. There is still major backlash floating through the internet. “Can you watch Carl” has been used as her slogan in meme after meme questions her characters morality and worth to the group. Mazzara has stated that “nothing is over the line” for the writers (especially when the characters death is warranted or will propel the story forward.) When reporters asked the showrunner about mounting wishes for her death, he said, “no character is safe” and that writers “have examined at different times killing every character.” If even Dale wasn’t even safe this early in the show despite lasting much longer in the comic, we can expect that Lori might be right behind her ex-lover Shane in the death tole.
The last, but not so innocent child of the group Carl, played by Chandler Riggs, is one that the writers love writing for. “If he survives, Carl will grow up in a world where the pre-apocalyptic world will be a distant memory,” Mazzara says. Carl can easily put a shot through the head of zombie as proven with zombie Shane. “We do want to see Carl grow into that badass [in the comics],” Mazzara told reporters. Basically, it seems cruel to kill the last child off, so they will probably keep him.
One character that has made great strides in the series is Andrea played by Laurie Holden. Mazzara recently revealed a bit of a teaser regarding her character when he said, “If she makes it out of Episode 13, it will be interesting to see what she does.” Andrea has changed a lot over the last season from a cowering young woman who wanted to die, to a confident survivor who had a sexy romp with Shane. She has taken over Dale’s position in both the series and comics. It seems resonable to say she will continue on for a while in the band of survivors.
With Shane dead, the group for reals needs a new #2, and since Dwight isnt in this show, who better to take over than Daryl, played by Norman Reedus. Mazzara said regarding Daryl, “”If he survives the finale, I would certainly lean on that character heavily,” Mazzara says of Daryl’s Season 3 potential. “He’s a viable leader and a viable No. 2. … Daryl is the character, in a sense, that’s preadapted to the world and most qualified to survive.” Since Rick is going to need an assistant TO THE leader, Daryl seems to be safe as well.
Who doesn’t feel bad for Carol, played by Melissa McBride? Season 2 saw the unfortunate search for her daughter Sophia that ended with her being a walker in Hershel’s barn the entire time. Plus you kind of wanted to see her get it on with Daryl. However, promos for the final invasion in the finale see her literally pinned against the wall. She deserves to live!
T-Dog, played by Robert Singleton has been made fun of countless times by the internet as he seemingly does, well, nothing in every episode. But Mazzara has said that while fans may see him as a prop, his lack of a storyline is intentional. “In our minds, he’s very smart in that he keeps his mouth shut and doesn’t draw anyone’s attention … his agenda has been to survive,” the showrunner told The Hollywood Reporter. “There was an intention here of why this guy was quiet; in our mind, he is playing everything close to the vest. There’s a method to our madness.” For those of you willing to put up with the quite character, Mazzara promises that they will give fans a reason to love T-Dog. He could possibly bite the dust in an epically awesome way, or save the group in an equally epic way.
Which brings us to Glenn, played by Steven Yeun. Poor Glenn is the best at navigating through dangerous zombie filled situations. Because of his worth to the group in that way (I mean they do have to survive the farm and I can bet Glenn will be pivotal for that) it is reasonable to assume he is going to survive.
Hershel, played by Scott Wilson, probably had it right when he said he would die at his farm. Even though Hershel dies by the hands of the Governor in the comics, it doesn’t seem he will be making it off of his land in the series. And besides his daughter will probably get it on with Glenn and the two will be happy together anyway.
Glenn’s lady love, Maggie played by Lauren Cohan, could go either way. She could die along with Hershel or be saved with the help (and love) of Glenn.
Another one of Hershel’s daughters, Beth played by Emily Kinney, has already come INCREDIBLY close to suicide but she now appears to be taking inspiration from Andrea to heart. However, she doesn’t quite have a role in the group yet. Without a plausible function within the group it is easy to see her killed off without affecting the group to devastatingly.
Beth’s boyfriend at the time of the apocalypse, Jimmy, played by James Allen McCune, is pretty useful to the group, unfortunately for Beth who is increasingly uninvested in life with him. But he at least has a purpose to the group not to mention he can actually WATCH Carl. He would be a definite asset to the survivors so it would be easy to see him staying with or without Beth by his side.
Otis’ wife, Patricia, played by Jane McNeil, is incredibly handy when it comes to medical emergencies but unlike the rest of the group she has no weapons training therefore can’t defend herself. It is even questionable that she would leave Hershel’s side in an emergency. She could likely perish on her own when she can’t defend herself or an instance with Hershel while in peril.
Either way, we know that someone else is going to follow Sophia, Dale, and Shane out of the apocalyptic world the question is who. I think the biggest shocker would be Lori despite the ire her character causes for fans.
Be sure to watch the season finale this sunday entitled, “Beside the Dying Fire.”
AMC Theaters has announced today that they will be holding an all-day Ultimate Marvel Marathon on May 3 in select cities. The event that will start at 11:30 AM, will show five previous movies from Marvel Studios, beginning with Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, in that order. Mind you that these movies are the ones that Marvel acknowledges as being tied into The Avengers movie. This will culminate towards a midnight showing of The Avengers.
You can watch all six movies as a special movie package for the one time price of $40, that you can purchase now from select AMC theaters.
Boston Common 19 Boston, MA
Burbank 16 Burbank, CA
Downtown Disney 12 Anaheim, CA
Aventura 24 Aventura, FL
Empire 25 New York, NY
Garden State 16 Paramus, NJ
Downtown Disney 24 Lake Buena Vista, FL
Metreon 16 San Francisco, CA
Alderwood 16 Lynnwood, WA
Tysons Corner 16 McLean, VA
Depending on how ticket sales go, I’m sure there will be more theaters announced; AMC says on March 16th; and more tickets will go on sale the same day.
There are several reasons why this is a good and bad idea.
To begin, a person will spend $40 for the honor, nay, the privilege of being the first to watch new super hero movie. This will include a long lineup that begins well before the 11:30AM start time, as hard core fans camp out the night in a line up, all in attempts to jockey for the best seats in the house. You can definitely expect there will be many people in attendance so you will have to be prepared to spend the evening in a cramped busy place.
Yes, like the Rocky Horror Picture show fan base, this movie event will draw in cosplayers. So if you are someone who that might make you uncomfortable, then you might want to stay at home. On the other hand, if you love cosplaying (or at least don’t mind it) then you will probably have a great time here!
Then comes concessions. This is how the theater makes it money back. During the thirteen some odd hours of being cooped in a pig pen like atmosphere, people are going to want to eat. Hopefully there will be unlimited refills on all large sized drinks, because $20 to $30 for popcorn, candy and a drink is a lot of money to be spending. Then again, can you last that long without real food? Woe to the person who sits next to someone who’s smuggled in tin foil wrapped food. The crinkling of bags and foil throughout the theater will drive everyone mad.
The best argument going for why this is a great idea is for the experience and the atmosphere. Somehow the expected camaraderie of what may be a nerd support group is suppose to make the entire experience worthwhile. Who doesn’t love experiencing things like this with others who feel the same as you do? Having others there who are enjoying it as much as you, can make this event even more fun for attendees.
Frankly, the only thing that makes this idea seem bad for me, is that it might be tough being there all day (but anyone who has camped out for a premiere will not find this a problem) and the large crowds of people this is sure to attract. But in the end, true superhero fans and self-proclaimed geeks/nerds will find this a fantastic night and definitely worth the money to attend.
Note: this article was edited and rewritten in certain parts by the editor.
