The Walking Deadhas been many things, but could it work as a 1950s Western? According to a disturbingly off-kilter AI-generated trailer fromSchrödinger’s Film Club, the answer is yes. While the zombie franchise has been given a new lease of life through its recent spin-off shows likeDead CityandThe Ones Who Live, the unique concept shared by the creator has asked what if the entireWalking Deadstory and characters such as Rick, Michonne, and Negan, were shifted to a different era, namely the dusty, lawless towns of the Old West.
The resulting trailer, which is made up of many unnerving images – thanks to the never-quite-on-point AI generation process – retools theWalking Deadconcept into a narrative that attributes the origin of the zombie virus to a Communist plot. Casting iconic actor Charlton Heston as Rick Grimes, the looming threat of the undead is accompanied by the human threat posed by a dark and violent outlaw in the form of Negan – portrayed in this instance by Orson Welles.
The Walking Dead
Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, AMC’s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series, developed for television by Frank Darabont, follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead. The Walking Dead lasted for eleven seasons and spawned several spinoff shows, such as Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
The transformation ofThe Walking Deadinto a Western setting, allowing for the flaws of its AI creation, does pose a very relevant question of “What If….The Walking Deadwas a Western.” With the franchise not ready to shamble off into its grave anytime soon, could this kind of concept actually work as a real production? It would certainly be an intriguing take on the franchise, and could look to emulate the many TV shows that have involved one-off episodes set in a completely different era, or moviessuch asBack to the Future Part III, which swapped the then-modern day Hill Valley for its 1886 counterpart. Check out the video below, and decide for yourself.
The Walking Deadappeared to have run its course by the time Season 11 rolled out, but the subsequent release of three character-driven spin-offs has suggested otherwise.Dead Cityrelocated Maggie and Negan to New York,Daryl Dixonheaded to France, and then the long awaited return of Rick Grimes inThe Ones Who Livedelivered a story that fans had been waiting years to see play out. Now the former two shows are preparing their second seasons, and franchise boss Scott M. Gimple has promised that there will be moreWalking Deadstories to come.
When it comes to looking at how to reinvigorate the show beyond its current setting, a complete adjacent retelling of the story in a new time period could be something to counter the fatigue that many fans felt by the time the flagship series wrapped. With the franchise having already explored anthology formats withTales of the Walking Dead, a similar scenario toAmerican Horror Story’s use of the same characters in different settingsmay well be where the saga needs to go next if it wants to survive.
After The Ones Who Live, What to Expect Next From The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live might have ended, but there’s still plenty more story to tell in The Walking Dead universe.
For now though, all eyes are on the upcoming second season ofDaryl Dixon, subtitledThe Book of Carol, which will premiere on AMC this summer and brings Melissa McBride’s Carol back into the story following her absence from the main part of Season 1. Following that,Dead Cityis currently filming its second season, with an expected release date of later this year, or early in 2025. Where theWalking Deadwill go after that is yet to be revealed, but they could do worse than consider a complete relocation to a past era for a start.
