Though it doesn't come as much of a surprise, AMC has officially renewed The Walking Dead for a seventh season that will debut next October along with new episodes of Talking Dead.
Press Release: NEW YORK, NY – October 30, 2015 – AMC announced today that it has renewed “The Walking Dead,” the #1 show on television among adults 18-49 for the last three years, for a seventh season. In addition, AMC has renewed “Talking Dead,” the live after-show hosted by Chris Hardwick that ranks in the top 10 across all television among adults 18-49, with new episodes to follow “The Walking Dead.”
The October 25th episode of “The Walking Dead” delivered 18.2 million viewers, 12 million adults 18-49 and 11.5 million adults 25-54 in live+3 ratings, which include three days of time-shifted viewing – each growing compared to last season’s corresponding episode #503. Last Sunday’s “Talking Dead” was its highest-rated episode ever that was not a premiere or a finale, delivering 7.3 million viewers, 4.6 million adults 18-49 and 4.7 million adults 25-54 in live+3.
“Thank goodness someone had a Magic 8-Ball with them in our many long internal meetings about these renewals. When, on the third shake, ‘without a doubt’ filled the murky blue screen, we knew we had to proceed with new seasons of ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Talking Dead,’” said Charlie Collier, president of AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. “All joking aside, we are so proud to share these shows with fans who have been so passionate, communicative and engaged. We are grateful for and continually impressed by the talent, effort and excellence on continuous display by Robert Kirkman, Scott Gimple, Chris Hardwick and the many people with whom we partner to make these unique shows possible. The result: More Walking and Talking. Hooray.”
Key Nielsen Highlights for October 25th Episode #603 of “The Walking Dead” (Live+3)
- 18.2 million viewers, up 39% from live/same day (an increase of 5.1 million viewers)
- 12.0 million adults 18-49 (national rating of 9.5), up 42% from live/same day (an increase of 3.5 million adults 18-49)
- 11.5 million adults 25-54, up 41% from live/same day (an increase of 3.3 million adults 25-54)
Key Nielsen Highlights for October 25th Episode of “Talking Dead” (Live+3)
- 7.3 million viewers, up 18% from live/same day (an increase of 1.1 million viewers)
- 4.6 million adults 18-49 (national rating of 3.6), up 17% from live/same day (an increase of 673,000 adults 18-49)
- 4.7 million adults 25-54, up 18% from live/same day (an increase of 699,000 adults 25-54)
Following a free premiere event with 13,500 screaming fans at Madison Square Garden, “The Walking Dead” has kicked off its sixth season with impressive social activity, drawing nearly 20 million social engagements between premiere week and episode 3 and ranking as the #1 most engaging drama. Since last year's premiere, “The Walking Dead” has gained 5.5 million new fans across social media, now tracking with an audience of nearly 40 million. Instagram has surfaced as “The Walking Dead’s” fastest-growing social platform, with the show capturing more than 8% of the industry’s engagement so far this season, up 25% from last year. Meanwhile, the series’ audience size has more than tripled on Instagram, while total engagements have jumped 325% from this point last year, with 8 million total engagements for the season to date.
For season seven, Scott M. Gimple will return as the series’ showrunner and executive producer, along with executive producers Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, Greg Nicotero and Tom Luse.
Around the world, season seven of “The Walking Dead” will again be “First on FOX,” with FOX International Channels (FIC) bringing the show to audiences globally in all of its 125+ markets as part of FIC's continued commitment to broadcast the series day-and-date internationally. Following the U.S. trend, “The Walking Dead” continues to break records overseas and has more than tripled its numbers on FOX since its launch.
Sources: Nielsen L+3 (10/25/15) and Rank on L+SD (9/21/15-10/25/15), Prime (8P-11P), excluding repeats, specials, sports, < 15 min, 2+ T/C. ListenFirst DAR TV.
About AMC
Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade, or creating acclaimed original programming, AMC brings to its audience something deeper, something richer, Something More. The network reigns as the only cable network in history ever to win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row with “Mad Men,” and six of the last eight with back-to-back honoree “Breaking Bad.” The network boasts the most-watched drama series in basic cable history and the number one show on television among adults 18-49 for the last three years with “The Walking Dead.” AMC’s current original drama series include “The Walking Dead,” “Better Call Saul,” “Hell on Wheels,” “TURN: Washington’s Spies,” “Halt and Catch Fire,” “Humans,” “Fear the Walking Dead,” and the forthcoming “Into the Badlands,” “The Night Manager,” “Broke” and “Preacher.” AMC also explores authentic worlds and discussion with original shows like “Talking Dead,” “The Making of The Mob,” “Comic Book Men” and the upcoming “Ride with Norman Reedus” and “The American West.” AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, SundanceTV, BBC America and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Something More.
About FOX INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, sports, factual and movie channels in 45 languages across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. FIC’s core channel brands include FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Life, FOX+ and National Geographic Channel. FIC’s movie channels include FOX Movies, FOX Movies Premium and Star Chinese Movies. Our non-linear brands include FOX Play, FOX Play+ and Nat Geo Play. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.725 billion cumulative households worldwide. In addition, FIC owns and operates two production studios and produces thousands of local programming hours for its wholly owned channels and third parties. In operation since: August 14, 1993.
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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