The original installment of the AMC zombie franchise will come to an end this fall, premiering Oct. 2.
As anticipation for the final episodes of the series builds, The Walking Dead debuted a new trailer, previewing what’s to come as the main installment in the AMC zombie franchise comes to a close. The new footage was revealed at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con where the cast and creative team gathered for their final in-person appearance in Hall H.
The trailer -- which is subtitled "Finish the Fight" -- began with a retrospective from the popular series, looking back at tear-jerking and meaningful moments over the the show's decade-plus run, before getting to the real action: an intense look at the final season to come.
"People remember the last thing you do," a voice promises in the trailer, as the characters fight for their lives -- some of them appearing to tragically lose the battle. "The end of a story, it's very important. How do you want yours to end?"
The official synopsis from AMC shares this about the final episodes:
On the heels of the oppressive presence of locusts, an even greater force is bearing down on every single member of each community. With Commonwealth flags raised at Hilltop, Alexandria, and Oceanside, there’s no time to strategize for those on the road. It’s a race against the clock to stay alive and extract those still living in the Commonwealth before Hornsby can execute his revenge.
Inside the Commonwealth, Connie’s article has created more chaos than planned. By exposing the Milton’s corruption, their hope to create a better, more equal, life for all may instead put everyone at risk. With the vast debt our group owes and no other viable place to live, simply leaving has never been an option. But if their next move fails, staying won’t be an option either. What they’re about to embark on will only invite more danger with massive consequences. The clock is ticking for our heroes inside the Commonwealth as well.
As each group continues to get caught in uncontrollable situations, threats lurk around every corner, dead and alive. The looming pressure is cresting towards a day of reckoning for all. Will the sum of their individual journeys cumulate into one, or divide them forever? The fight for a future continues to be exasperated by the ominous population of walkers. Not all will survive, but for some, the walking dead lives on…
Watch the trailer below:
Unsurprisingly, things also got emotional during the panel moderated by Chris Hardwick as showrunner Angela Kang and executive producer, director and special effects makeup supervisor Greg Nicotero, as well as stars Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Christian Serratos, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, Seth Gilliam, Josh McDermitt, Michael James Shaw, Cailey Fleming and Lauren Ridloff discussed the upcoming episodes.
"I kind of just want to cry and make out with everybody at the same time," Reedus admitted of saying goodbye to the series. "It feels good, though... I've made some of my best friends on this show."
Adding that The Walking Dead belongs to the fans, as much as the cast, the actor, one of the few remaining original cast members, added, "For most actors, this never happens. And for most of us, it may never happen again."
McBride, another cast member who's been with the show since season 1, began to tear up as she talked about the series' end. "This whole experience has been amazing, out of this world," she said. "I never thought it would become what it became."
For Marquand, getting a chance to join the series in season 5 was a dream come true. "I was a fan of the show for many years," he shared. "It was a surreal moment from the moment I got on the show."
Ridloff, who joined the show in season 9, agreed, sharing, "I can't believe the fact that I'm up here with everyone onstage."
"I do wanna say that I feel like this show was created for the fans… we care about you guys so much," the Eternals actress added. "You are the ones that put me on the map. Thank you so much."
When speaking to crafting the final episodes -- without dropping any spoilers, of course -- Nicotero noted, "We have an obligation to take the show out the best way we can."
The final episodes of The Walking Dead season 11 will premiere on AMC on Oct. 2, with the first two episodes available on AMC+ the same night.
See below for more of Entertainment Tonight’s ongoing coverage of Comic-Con 2022, including the daily schedule and biggest highlights of the weekend:
