SDCC 2018: ‘The Walking Dead’ Casts Popular Comic Villain For Season 9
Negan? Negan who? According to The Hollywood Reporter, there’s a new baddie coming to The Walking Dead for season 9 and it’s one that’s sure to get longtime comic fans excited! Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them alum Samantha Morton has just been cast to play Alpha, leader of the Whisperers, one of the more popular groups in The Walking Dead Comic Universe. Creator Robert Kirkman announced the news during the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel on Friday.
While many had been speculating that The Whisperer’s would be making their appearance this season, there wasn’t any confirmation until Kirkman’s announcement and the latest trailer was released by AMC, which may have featured a huge tease about their introduction.
*There are Major Walking Dead Comic Spoilers Below. Read at your own risk. To avoid them please head to the next bolded section.*
In the comics, The Whisperers is a group that has been surviving in the apocalypse by wearing skin suits of human flesh that allow them to blend in with the walkers. The only way that they can communicate with each other amongst the herds is by whispering. Led by Alpha, The Whisperers believe that the apocalypse is just the next step in the evolution of society.
Alpha has a daughter named Lydia in the comics, who became a love interest for Carl. It’s uncertain how The Walking Dead will tackle this storyline in season 9 now that Carl’s character has been killed off or which character could possibly take his place.
Just like basically every other group Rick’s team comes in contact with, Rick and Alpha quickly become at odds due to their very different ways of living, which eventually culminates in a grand gesture that results in the deaths of a couple huge characters from Rick’s group.
*That concludes comic spoilers for the series *
Of course, just because a new villain is coming to the show doesn’t mean that Negan is done. You can catch him and Rick exchanging some words in the newly released trailer below, which features a whole lot of additional craziness coming up this season on The Walking Dead!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBaKVC1wIW4
Morton is known for her roles Hulu’s Original Series Harlots, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as well as Minority Report.
The Walking Dead will return on Oct. 7 at 9 p.m. on AMC.
Having studied Media & Writing at James Madison University, I always knew that I wanted to do some type of creative writing, but being able to write about zombies, Starks, and superheroes on a daily basis for Fan Fest is my actual dream. While I probably shouldn’t be as proud as I am to be so similar to Nick Miller, I do hope to one day write my own “Pepperwood Chronicles’.
