I attended a recent interview session with a handful of journalists and the cast & producers of The Walking Dead Season 5, where we discussed the recently released trailer and they teased what we can expect from the upcoming season. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple was careful not to reveal too much, but he did talk about the comic book influences, a new character that they're introducing, and he's confident that the first new episode will "melt your brain."
The Walking Dead Season 4 was very faithful to the comic book series in many respects, while still treading new ground. Are you taking a similar path in Season 5?
Scott M. Gimple: It jumps back and forth. In some ways it elongates the timeline of the comic. There's at least one big moment where we take something from the comic that we blew past a year and a half ago. If people are huge comic fans, it's a remix. There are some pieces that are from a long time ago that integrate into a story that's very different. I'll also say that there is some stuff that's completely different from the comic, but inspired by it.
Last season, we saw the story split into two 8-episode arcs. Will you be doing the same this time around?
Scott M. Gimple: There will be a story that begins and closes, but it will impact the next eight.
From the look of the Season 5 trailer, there appears to be plenty of action. How does this season compare to last season's action?
Scott M. Gimple: There are a lot of bigger sequences, but that are concentrated. I will say that the first episode will melt your brain. I was talking with one of the executives and I said it's like an electric / acoustic season. We have these electric tracks that blow off the roof and then we do an acoustic song for half an episode and blow off the roof later. I'd say the action is more concentrated this season.
This season will see the introduction of Father Gabriel. Will he be similar to the comic book version and can you tell us about Seth Gilliam taking on this role?
Scott M. Gimple: He's going to be pretty similar to his comic counterpart. There are going to be some differences, but it's a great story. Robert did something great with that character and we want to fulfill it. Seth is amazing. When I had mentioned him to our casting folks, I wasn't sure because he plays this regular and funny guy on The Wire. He came in and just destroyed it. He's teriffic.
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The Walking Dead Season 5 starts on October 12th, so expect plenty of coverage and exclusive interviews between now and then. Catch up on our recent coverage by visiting the following links:
After spending more than 10 years as a consultant in the tech and entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his interest in horror and sci-fi. Since then, it has grown into an online magazine with a staff of writers that provide daily news, reviews, interviews, and special features.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Dead, Jonathan is responsible for bringing the latest horror news to millions of readers from around the world. He is also consulted with as an expert on zombies in entertainment and pop culture, providing analyses of the zombie sub-genre to newspapers, radio stations, and convention attendees.
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