Walking Dead Returns...tomorrow...yay!
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'Walking Dead' attraction opening July 4 at Universal Studios Hollywood
Derrik J. Lang, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Thursday, June 30, 2016 12:03 PM EDT
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- It's all hands on deck at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Behind double doors with the phrases "DON'T OPEN" and "DEAD INSIDE" scrawled across them in black paint, a team of workers is carefully positioning 12 creepy robotic hands as nearby crew members paint animatronic zombie heads and construct a hospital waiting room.
After a few minutes, the mechanical paws are ominously -- and repeatedly -- reaching through the crack between the doors. The iconic image is the first that will greet visitors when they enter the theme park's new attraction based on the zombie apocalypse drama "The Walking Dead."
"We knew that everyone was going to want to take a selfie with this, given modern sensibilities, so we moved it at the last minute out into what's actually considered the queue," said Universal creative director John Murdy during a recent tour of the still-under-construction walk-through attraction.
After utilizing mostly wood and cloth for the past four years to build temporary mazes based on the AMC series for the theme park's annual Halloween Horror Nights event, Murdy and his team are using steel and concrete for a permanent "Walking Dead"-themed labyrinth.
"It's unusual for a theme park to have an attraction based on a franchise as intense as 'The Walking Dead,'" said Murdy. "I think what's different is that 'The Walking Dead' transcends the narrow confines of horror and is a pop-culture icon watched by millions of people, beyond horror fans."
Unlike past Halloween Horror Nights mazes, which mostly centred on scenes and characters from recent "Walking Dead" installments, the year-round attraction will take visitors through the previous six seasons.
"The Walking Dead" experience, scheduled to open July 4, will also recreate show locales such as the gloomy West Georgia Correctional Facility depicted in the third and fourth seasons and the freaky cannibal community Terminus glimpsed in the fourth and fifth seasons.
The attraction will feature a mix of animatronics and actors portraying various "walkers" -- the series' preferred moniker for the undead -- featured throughout the series. The team from Universal is working closely with "Walking Dead" effects studio KNB EFX Group to bring them to, well, life.
"It's the exact opposite of what we do on the show," said "Walking Dead" executive producer and special effects guru Greg Nicotero. "When you're working on a movie or a television show, you're capturing a special effect on camera, so the choreography involved is very different."
Nicotero noted that the attraction's gruesomeness must be visible to all visitors, as well as durable enough for daily use. His tricks include adding magnets and zippers to zombie skins to make them more easily replaceable and crafting sturdier prosthetics from makeup moulds created for the show.
The addition of "The Walking Dead" attraction is the latest in series of developments at Universal Studios Hollywood, including the expansion of "The Simpsons" ride area with Springfield-themed shops and eateries and the introduction of a West Coast version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Would it be too far-fetched for the park to add a zombie-laden land?
"I don't see why we couldn't have Terminus barbecue right next to this," joked Nicotero. "I think, just like with Harry Potter, the world of 'The Walking Dead' has great opportunities to grow and expand. As we move past season six and into season seven, the world is opening up for us."
'Walking Dead' attraction opening July 4 at Universal Studios Hollywood | USA |
Derrik J. Lang, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Thursday, June 30, 2016 12:03 PM EDT
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- It's all hands on deck at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Behind double doors with the phrases "DON'T OPEN" and "DEAD INSIDE" scrawled across them in black paint, a team of workers is carefully positioning 12 creepy robotic hands as nearby crew members paint animatronic zombie heads and construct a hospital waiting room.
After a few minutes, the mechanical paws are ominously -- and repeatedly -- reaching through the crack between the doors. The iconic image is the first that will greet visitors when they enter the theme park's new attraction based on the zombie apocalypse drama "The Walking Dead."
"We knew that everyone was going to want to take a selfie with this, given modern sensibilities, so we moved it at the last minute out into what's actually considered the queue," said Universal creative director John Murdy during a recent tour of the still-under-construction walk-through attraction.
After utilizing mostly wood and cloth for the past four years to build temporary mazes based on the AMC series for the theme park's annual Halloween Horror Nights event, Murdy and his team are using steel and concrete for a permanent "Walking Dead"-themed labyrinth.
"It's unusual for a theme park to have an attraction based on a franchise as intense as 'The Walking Dead,'" said Murdy. "I think what's different is that 'The Walking Dead' transcends the narrow confines of horror and is a pop-culture icon watched by millions of people, beyond horror fans."
Unlike past Halloween Horror Nights mazes, which mostly centred on scenes and characters from recent "Walking Dead" installments, the year-round attraction will take visitors through the previous six seasons.
"The Walking Dead" experience, scheduled to open July 4, will also recreate show locales such as the gloomy West Georgia Correctional Facility depicted in the third and fourth seasons and the freaky cannibal community Terminus glimpsed in the fourth and fifth seasons.
The attraction will feature a mix of animatronics and actors portraying various "walkers" -- the series' preferred moniker for the undead -- featured throughout the series. The team from Universal is working closely with "Walking Dead" effects studio KNB EFX Group to bring them to, well, life.
"It's the exact opposite of what we do on the show," said "Walking Dead" executive producer and special effects guru Greg Nicotero. "When you're working on a movie or a television show, you're capturing a special effect on camera, so the choreography involved is very different."
Nicotero noted that the attraction's gruesomeness must be visible to all visitors, as well as durable enough for daily use. His tricks include adding magnets and zippers to zombie skins to make them more easily replaceable and crafting sturdier prosthetics from makeup moulds created for the show.
The addition of "The Walking Dead" attraction is the latest in series of developments at Universal Studios Hollywood, including the expansion of "The Simpsons" ride area with Springfield-themed shops and eateries and the introduction of a West Coast version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Would it be too far-fetched for the park to add a zombie-laden land?
"I don't see why we couldn't have Terminus barbecue right next to this," joked Nicotero. "I think, just like with Harry Potter, the world of 'The Walking Dead' has great opportunities to grow and expand. As we move past season six and into season seven, the world is opening up for us."
'Walking Dead' attraction opening July 4 at Universal Studios Hollywood | USA |
Best friends with Down syndrome make epic zombie movie
Jennifer McDermott, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 03:48 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 03:55 PM EDT
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Two best friends from Rhode Island are living their dream of making an epic zombie movie and becoming celebrities.
Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, both 20, have Down syndrome.
"Down syndrome causes us to think slower than others, but we don't let that get in the way," Suchmann says. "Because we're naturally amazing."
Their movie, "Spring Break Zombie Massacre," premiered in Providence last week, and they've been invited to several film festivals in North America. They also are scheduled to appear Thursday on Conan O'Brien's show.
The friends like movies and zombies and thought they could make a better zombie movie than some already out there. Zufelt hopes their movie proves why a book shouldn't be judged by its cover. He asks people to "look at the contents."
The two friends play brothers in the movie, two cool guys with bionic powers capable of saving humanity forever. The devil chases them through high school, college and spring break, trying to steal their powers and turning bullies into zombies and demons to help him in his quest.
They're often chugging soda, which they absolutely love.
One of their favourite scenes comes at the end of the movie when Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, a hero to Zufelt, makes a cameo appearance at a boat party that's attacked by zombies. Zufelt, who dreams of being a DJ, jumps on the turntable in a final battle with the devil.
"My character, he's a straight badass," says Zufelt, whose DJ nickname is "Mattie Mixer."
DelVecchio, a Rhode Island native, says he was intrigued and taken back by how much they wanted him in the movie. He says it was such a "dope" project and he loved their story, so he signed on.
"You could tell they had a passion for this. This was something they really wanted to do," he says. "And it just goes to show you that anybody that can put their mind to it, can get something this big done. ... They worked so hard and it came out great."
Suchmann, of Providence, and Zufelt, of Bristol, grew close after they met while swimming in the Special Olympics during elementary school. They started working on the movie about five years ago. A Kickstarter campaign for the movie raised about $70,000 in late 2014.
Suchmann's older brother, Jesse, asked his high school friend, filmmaker Bobby Carnevale, for help. Carnevale directed the movie. He, along with editor Tim Forster and producer Suzy Beck, convinced others in the industry to volunteer their time and equipment. They filmed the 45-minute movie in Rhode Island over two weeks in August.
"Every day I learned something about life, about humanity, people, about what's important," Carnevale says. "It really was a life-changing experience for me and for everyone that came to meet Sam and Mattie."
Suchmann and Zufelt's friends acted in the movie and worked on it. Some have Down syndrome and others are on the autism spectrum. But Jesse Suchmann says, "This is not just proving people with Down syndrome can do this, too. ... If it was a bunch of professional filmmakers with no differing perspectives, we would've ended up with something way, way lamer. It would've never been this awesome."
The friends are already planning for a sequel and they've been filming a documentary about how the movie was made. Their families are working to start a non-profit to help people with disabilities fulfil their creative dreams by connecting them with professionals in the industry.
Its name will be "Rock On. Go Wild," the friends' catchphrase.
In this July 12, 2016 photo, Sam Suchmann, left, and Mattie Zufelt pose with ghoulish figures at Sam's home in Providence, R.I. Suchmann and Zufelt, best friends with Down syndrome, are living their dreams of making a full-length, epic zombie movie and becoming celebrities. The duo premiered their movie, “Spring Break Zombie Massacre,” in Providence last week, have been invited to several film festivals in North America, and are scheduled to appear on “Conan” Thursday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7pWuRni0Lo
Best friends with Down syndrome make epic zombie movie | World | News | Toronto
Jennifer McDermott, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 03:48 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 03:55 PM EDT
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Two best friends from Rhode Island are living their dream of making an epic zombie movie and becoming celebrities.
Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, both 20, have Down syndrome.
"Down syndrome causes us to think slower than others, but we don't let that get in the way," Suchmann says. "Because we're naturally amazing."
Their movie, "Spring Break Zombie Massacre," premiered in Providence last week, and they've been invited to several film festivals in North America. They also are scheduled to appear Thursday on Conan O'Brien's show.
The friends like movies and zombies and thought they could make a better zombie movie than some already out there. Zufelt hopes their movie proves why a book shouldn't be judged by its cover. He asks people to "look at the contents."
The two friends play brothers in the movie, two cool guys with bionic powers capable of saving humanity forever. The devil chases them through high school, college and spring break, trying to steal their powers and turning bullies into zombies and demons to help him in his quest.
They're often chugging soda, which they absolutely love.
One of their favourite scenes comes at the end of the movie when Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, a hero to Zufelt, makes a cameo appearance at a boat party that's attacked by zombies. Zufelt, who dreams of being a DJ, jumps on the turntable in a final battle with the devil.
"My character, he's a straight badass," says Zufelt, whose DJ nickname is "Mattie Mixer."
DelVecchio, a Rhode Island native, says he was intrigued and taken back by how much they wanted him in the movie. He says it was such a "dope" project and he loved their story, so he signed on.
"You could tell they had a passion for this. This was something they really wanted to do," he says. "And it just goes to show you that anybody that can put their mind to it, can get something this big done. ... They worked so hard and it came out great."
Suchmann, of Providence, and Zufelt, of Bristol, grew close after they met while swimming in the Special Olympics during elementary school. They started working on the movie about five years ago. A Kickstarter campaign for the movie raised about $70,000 in late 2014.
Suchmann's older brother, Jesse, asked his high school friend, filmmaker Bobby Carnevale, for help. Carnevale directed the movie. He, along with editor Tim Forster and producer Suzy Beck, convinced others in the industry to volunteer their time and equipment. They filmed the 45-minute movie in Rhode Island over two weeks in August.
"Every day I learned something about life, about humanity, people, about what's important," Carnevale says. "It really was a life-changing experience for me and for everyone that came to meet Sam and Mattie."
Suchmann and Zufelt's friends acted in the movie and worked on it. Some have Down syndrome and others are on the autism spectrum. But Jesse Suchmann says, "This is not just proving people with Down syndrome can do this, too. ... If it was a bunch of professional filmmakers with no differing perspectives, we would've ended up with something way, way lamer. It would've never been this awesome."
The friends are already planning for a sequel and they've been filming a documentary about how the movie was made. Their families are working to start a non-profit to help people with disabilities fulfil their creative dreams by connecting them with professionals in the industry.
Its name will be "Rock On. Go Wild," the friends' catchphrase.
In this July 12, 2016 photo, Sam Suchmann, left, and Mattie Zufelt pose with ghoulish figures at Sam's home in Providence, R.I. Suchmann and Zufelt, best friends with Down syndrome, are living their dreams of making a full-length, epic zombie movie and becoming celebrities. The duo premiered their movie, “Spring Break Zombie Massacre,” in Providence last week, have been invited to several film festivals in North America, and are scheduled to appear on “Conan” Thursday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7pWuRni0Lo
Best friends with Down syndrome make epic zombie movie | World | News | Toronto
Traffic sign hacked to warn about zombie genitals
Joe Lofaro, Postmedia News
First posted: Monday, September 05, 2016 07:20 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, September 05, 2016 08:16 PM EDT
It appears someone has hacked a city traffic sign in Stittsville with an unusual warning about zombie genitals.
Matt Sweeting-Woods posted a video on Instagram on Monday showing the sign on Hazeldean Road flashing warnings about specific zombie body parts and to use protection.
It’s not clear when the sign was hacked, but Ottawa police have notified the City of Ottawa to have it fixed.
Sgt. Dan Berrea said police would only open an investigation if the police service received a complaint.
The city could not be immediately reached for comment about the incident.
A hacked traffic sign on Hazeldean Road has a zombie warning for motorists. Part of the message has been hidden by the Ottawa Sun. (Matt Sweeting-Woods, Instagram)
Traffic sign hacked to warn about zombie genitals | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Joe Lofaro, Postmedia News
First posted: Monday, September 05, 2016 07:20 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, September 05, 2016 08:16 PM EDT
It appears someone has hacked a city traffic sign in Stittsville with an unusual warning about zombie genitals.
Matt Sweeting-Woods posted a video on Instagram on Monday showing the sign on Hazeldean Road flashing warnings about specific zombie body parts and to use protection.
It’s not clear when the sign was hacked, but Ottawa police have notified the City of Ottawa to have it fixed.
Sgt. Dan Berrea said police would only open an investigation if the police service received a complaint.
The city could not be immediately reached for comment about the incident.
A hacked traffic sign on Hazeldean Road has a zombie warning for motorists. Part of the message has been hidden by the Ottawa Sun. (Matt Sweeting-Woods, Instagram)
Traffic sign hacked to warn about zombie genitals | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7 premiere: Who is Negan’s victim? We break down the odds
By Steve Tilley, Postmedia Network
First posted: Friday, October 21, 2016 09:50 PM EDT
Eeeny, meeny, miny, moe. Which Walking Dead character is going to go?
AMC’s zombie apocalypse drama has never been shy about killing off the living as well as the undead. But the last season of The Walking Dead ended with a particularly cruel cliffhanger finale: after being captured by the charismatic, sadistic Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his ruthless gang of Saviors, Rick and pals were forced to kneel in a line while Negan introduced them to the new world order.
Negan’s reality is a cruel and unforgiving place, and in order to teach Rick and his group a lesson, he singled out one of them and beat him or her to death with Lucille, his barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat, in front of the rest of the group. Thwack after sickening thwack.
But who died? In a move that caused no small amount of controversy, AMC decided to keep the identity of Negan’s victim a secret, with the camera fading to black – from the point of view of the person who had their head bashed in – as the season finale ended.
For the last six months, fans have been hotly debating who Negan murdered. Camera angles have been analyzed, reports from on-set spies have been dissected, blood splatter and prop location theories have been expounded. It’s as if Negan was on the grassy knoll, or chucking a beer can from the left field seats.
When Season 7 of The Walking Dead premieres Sunday night, we’ll know within minutes who the victim was. Meantime, here’s a look at Negan’s 11 potential casualties and the odds of their survival, ranking them from guaranteed safety to likely doom.
Rick
Odds of dying: 1,000,000 to 1
Rick (Andrew Lincoln) will be one of the last people standing when The Walking Dead finally winds down as a series, and he remains far too central a character to bump off. If that wasn’t enough, AMC’s sneak peek for Season 7 shows Rick, post-killing, promising that he will exact his revenge against Negan someday, somehow. We know for certain he’s not Lucille’s victim, unless the show is pulling one of the most elaborate and unexpected fake-outs in television history.
Carl
Odds of dying: 1,000 to 1
“Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy’s other eye out and feed it to his father,” Negan says before going to town on his victim, which seems to indicate Carl (Chandler Riggs) is not the chosen one – why cut the kid’s eye out right before reducing his head to a mushy pulp? A few seasons ago we’d have been begging for Carl to be on the wrong end of Lucille, but the character has grown, suffered, and earned his place among the survivors. This won’t be his time.
Rosita
Odds of dying: 100 to 1
The main thing working against Rosita (Christian Serratos) being Negan’s victim is her death would have virtually no impact. She didn’t have much to do in Season 6 (other than be thrown under the bus romantically by Abraham), and the only thing that would make people angrier than the cliffhanger itself would be the death of a character that no one is terribly attached to.
Maggie
Odds of dying: 75 to 1
Internet scuttlebutt suggests Maggie (Lauren Cohan) could be a goner, with a freeze-frame of the sneak peek spot showing what may be her engagement ring among the grue and gore left by Negan’s assault. While Maggie’s death would be a huge shock, she’s gone through so much already – losing her family, nearly losing Glenn once, possibly in the midst of a miscarriage – that eliminating her now would just feel like sickening overkill. Maggie has an important role to fill in the stories ahead, and not even Negan can change that.
Michonne
Odds of dying: 50 to 1
Michonne (Danai Gurira) is a longtime fan favourite, and the recent romance between her and Rick certainly puts her in some added jeopardy. In AMC’s sneak peek spot, Negan refers to having possibly eliminated Rick’s right-hand man, a description that would fit Michonne (among several others, certainly.) Yet despite all that, she seems an unlikely pick – there was nothing in the way of foreshadowing indicating Michonne could be leaving soon, and she’s got a lot left to do. (Plus, she’s been spotted in Season 7 set photos, so…)
Aaron
Odds of dying: 30 to 1
The only way Aaron (Ross Marquand) gets killed is if The Walking Dead’s writers and producers get cold feet and decide they simply can’t eliminate one of their fan-favourite characters. But since that’s never stopped them before, it’s not terribly likely that Aaron will be feeding Negan’s vampire bat. (Negan’s joke, not mine.) As well, the fact that Rick has blood on the right side of his face in the sneak peek indicates the victim is likely kneeling somewhere to Rick’s right, while Aaron is to Rick’s left. He’s probably safe. Probably.
Sasha
Odds of dying: 20 to 1
Like so many others in the group, Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) has developed nicely as a character, coming to terms with the darkness and suffering in this world, choosing to live as best she can. That and her blossoming romance with Abraham put a small bullseye on her back – again, this death has to mean something, or fans will be furious – but the stakes don’t feel high enough for her to be the one.
Daryl
Odds of dying: 15 to 1
Going back to the sneak peek spot once again, the clip ends with a shot of the pulpy remains of someone’s head splattered all over the ground… after panning past a blanket crumpled in the dirt. Who had a blanket over his shoulders? Yep, it was the gunshot-wounded Daryl (Norman Reedus). Possibly the most beloved character on the show, the death of Daryl would have a massive impact, and Reedus is currently a hot property with a lot of other projects on the go, so it’s conceivable he could be looking to leave. But would AMC tip their hand so obviously? It seems unlikely, but it could happen.
Eugene
Odds of dying: 5 to 1
Few characters have undergone as much of a transformation as Eugene, from the self-serving coward who tricked Abraham and his crew into protecting him to a survivor who can stand on his own feet. He also had what felt distressingly like a farewell scene at the end of last season, and even gave Rick the recipe for making bullets, just in case. One thing pointing to Eugene’s survival is that he’s on Rick’s far left during Negan’s theatrics, which makes it seem unlikely that blood flying off Negan’s bat would hit Rick in the right side of the face, as seen in the sneak peek. Still, we wouldn’t bet against him.
Abraham
Odds of dying: 3 to 1
Nobody has better one-liners than Abraham, and like many other of the characters who came in a little later on the series, he’s had a satisfying character arc, having battled some personal demons and found a sense of peace and even gentleness (while still being tough as nails.) He could certainly be considered Rick’s right-hand man, he’s kneeling to Rick’s right side – satisfying the blood-splatter criteria theory – and his death would be both a horrible blow to the group and to Walking Dead fans, without completely derailing the show. We’re pulling for you Big Red, but we’re nervous.
Glenn
Odds of dying: 2 to 1
We love Glenn (Steven Yeun) like a brother, but the writers and producers did the character and the show’s fans a huge disservice with their midseason is-he-or-isn’t-he fakeout, making it seem like Glenn had been chomped by zombies. In the comics – spoilers ahead, if you haven’t read them – this scene plays out with Glenn being the one gruesomely getting his head caved in. Were it to unfold that way on the show, it would have a huge emotional impact, be faithful to the comics, and atone somewhat for the silliness of the midseason bait-and-switch. (Plus, the engagement ring sitting among the guts could have been put there by Maggie as a remembrance offering of sorts, although it seems weird and implausible she’d do that so quickly, or even at all.) We don’t want to see Glenn gone, but most signs point to his time being up. And no matter what, it’s going to be awful to watch.
The Walking Dead airs Sunday night at 9 p.m. on AMC.
Twitter: @stevetilley
STilley@postmedia.com
‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7 premiere: Who is Negan’s victim? We break down the o
By Steve Tilley, Postmedia Network
First posted: Friday, October 21, 2016 09:50 PM EDT
Eeeny, meeny, miny, moe. Which Walking Dead character is going to go?
AMC’s zombie apocalypse drama has never been shy about killing off the living as well as the undead. But the last season of The Walking Dead ended with a particularly cruel cliffhanger finale: after being captured by the charismatic, sadistic Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his ruthless gang of Saviors, Rick and pals were forced to kneel in a line while Negan introduced them to the new world order.
Negan’s reality is a cruel and unforgiving place, and in order to teach Rick and his group a lesson, he singled out one of them and beat him or her to death with Lucille, his barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat, in front of the rest of the group. Thwack after sickening thwack.
But who died? In a move that caused no small amount of controversy, AMC decided to keep the identity of Negan’s victim a secret, with the camera fading to black – from the point of view of the person who had their head bashed in – as the season finale ended.
For the last six months, fans have been hotly debating who Negan murdered. Camera angles have been analyzed, reports from on-set spies have been dissected, blood splatter and prop location theories have been expounded. It’s as if Negan was on the grassy knoll, or chucking a beer can from the left field seats.
When Season 7 of The Walking Dead premieres Sunday night, we’ll know within minutes who the victim was. Meantime, here’s a look at Negan’s 11 potential casualties and the odds of their survival, ranking them from guaranteed safety to likely doom.
Rick
Odds of dying: 1,000,000 to 1
Rick (Andrew Lincoln) will be one of the last people standing when The Walking Dead finally winds down as a series, and he remains far too central a character to bump off. If that wasn’t enough, AMC’s sneak peek for Season 7 shows Rick, post-killing, promising that he will exact his revenge against Negan someday, somehow. We know for certain he’s not Lucille’s victim, unless the show is pulling one of the most elaborate and unexpected fake-outs in television history.
Carl
Odds of dying: 1,000 to 1
“Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy’s other eye out and feed it to his father,” Negan says before going to town on his victim, which seems to indicate Carl (Chandler Riggs) is not the chosen one – why cut the kid’s eye out right before reducing his head to a mushy pulp? A few seasons ago we’d have been begging for Carl to be on the wrong end of Lucille, but the character has grown, suffered, and earned his place among the survivors. This won’t be his time.
Rosita
Odds of dying: 100 to 1
The main thing working against Rosita (Christian Serratos) being Negan’s victim is her death would have virtually no impact. She didn’t have much to do in Season 6 (other than be thrown under the bus romantically by Abraham), and the only thing that would make people angrier than the cliffhanger itself would be the death of a character that no one is terribly attached to.
Maggie
Odds of dying: 75 to 1
Internet scuttlebutt suggests Maggie (Lauren Cohan) could be a goner, with a freeze-frame of the sneak peek spot showing what may be her engagement ring among the grue and gore left by Negan’s assault. While Maggie’s death would be a huge shock, she’s gone through so much already – losing her family, nearly losing Glenn once, possibly in the midst of a miscarriage – that eliminating her now would just feel like sickening overkill. Maggie has an important role to fill in the stories ahead, and not even Negan can change that.
Michonne
Odds of dying: 50 to 1
Michonne (Danai Gurira) is a longtime fan favourite, and the recent romance between her and Rick certainly puts her in some added jeopardy. In AMC’s sneak peek spot, Negan refers to having possibly eliminated Rick’s right-hand man, a description that would fit Michonne (among several others, certainly.) Yet despite all that, she seems an unlikely pick – there was nothing in the way of foreshadowing indicating Michonne could be leaving soon, and she’s got a lot left to do. (Plus, she’s been spotted in Season 7 set photos, so…)
Aaron
Odds of dying: 30 to 1
The only way Aaron (Ross Marquand) gets killed is if The Walking Dead’s writers and producers get cold feet and decide they simply can’t eliminate one of their fan-favourite characters. But since that’s never stopped them before, it’s not terribly likely that Aaron will be feeding Negan’s vampire bat. (Negan’s joke, not mine.) As well, the fact that Rick has blood on the right side of his face in the sneak peek indicates the victim is likely kneeling somewhere to Rick’s right, while Aaron is to Rick’s left. He’s probably safe. Probably.
Sasha
Odds of dying: 20 to 1
Like so many others in the group, Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) has developed nicely as a character, coming to terms with the darkness and suffering in this world, choosing to live as best she can. That and her blossoming romance with Abraham put a small bullseye on her back – again, this death has to mean something, or fans will be furious – but the stakes don’t feel high enough for her to be the one.
Daryl
Odds of dying: 15 to 1
Going back to the sneak peek spot once again, the clip ends with a shot of the pulpy remains of someone’s head splattered all over the ground… after panning past a blanket crumpled in the dirt. Who had a blanket over his shoulders? Yep, it was the gunshot-wounded Daryl (Norman Reedus). Possibly the most beloved character on the show, the death of Daryl would have a massive impact, and Reedus is currently a hot property with a lot of other projects on the go, so it’s conceivable he could be looking to leave. But would AMC tip their hand so obviously? It seems unlikely, but it could happen.
Eugene
Odds of dying: 5 to 1
Few characters have undergone as much of a transformation as Eugene, from the self-serving coward who tricked Abraham and his crew into protecting him to a survivor who can stand on his own feet. He also had what felt distressingly like a farewell scene at the end of last season, and even gave Rick the recipe for making bullets, just in case. One thing pointing to Eugene’s survival is that he’s on Rick’s far left during Negan’s theatrics, which makes it seem unlikely that blood flying off Negan’s bat would hit Rick in the right side of the face, as seen in the sneak peek. Still, we wouldn’t bet against him.
Abraham
Odds of dying: 3 to 1
Nobody has better one-liners than Abraham, and like many other of the characters who came in a little later on the series, he’s had a satisfying character arc, having battled some personal demons and found a sense of peace and even gentleness (while still being tough as nails.) He could certainly be considered Rick’s right-hand man, he’s kneeling to Rick’s right side – satisfying the blood-splatter criteria theory – and his death would be both a horrible blow to the group and to Walking Dead fans, without completely derailing the show. We’re pulling for you Big Red, but we’re nervous.
Glenn
Odds of dying: 2 to 1
We love Glenn (Steven Yeun) like a brother, but the writers and producers did the character and the show’s fans a huge disservice with their midseason is-he-or-isn’t-he fakeout, making it seem like Glenn had been chomped by zombies. In the comics – spoilers ahead, if you haven’t read them – this scene plays out with Glenn being the one gruesomely getting his head caved in. Were it to unfold that way on the show, it would have a huge emotional impact, be faithful to the comics, and atone somewhat for the silliness of the midseason bait-and-switch. (Plus, the engagement ring sitting among the guts could have been put there by Maggie as a remembrance offering of sorts, although it seems weird and implausible she’d do that so quickly, or even at all.) We don’t want to see Glenn gone, but most signs point to his time being up. And no matter what, it’s going to be awful to watch.
The Walking Dead airs Sunday night at 9 p.m. on AMC.
Twitter: @stevetilley
STilley@postmedia.com
‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7 premiere: Who is Negan’s victim? We break down the o
the season premiere is called the day will come when you won't be which was one of the last things Edwin told rick. 
'The Walking Dead' starts season 7 with gore and Negan's victims revealed
By Steve Tilley, Postmedia Network
First posted: Sunday, October 23, 2016 10:33 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, October 23, 2016 11:32 PM EDT
**Contains Spoilers**
We expected the worst. And still, we were caught by surprise.
We knew Sunday night’s Season 7 premiere of AMC’s zombie apocalypse drama The Walking Dead would reveal which character fell victim to the charismatic, sadistic Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his barb wire-wrapped baseball bat, Lucille.
But in a shocking, gut-wrenching twist, it wasn’t just one character. It was two.
Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) both had their skulls caved in by Negan, an outcome that actor Morgan had hinted at in a recent interview, yet no one seemed to truly believe.
And for a show that has never been shy about graphic depictions of grue and gore, it was stomach-turning to watch.
After a six month wait since the Season 6 cliffhanger finale, The Walking Dead’s producers and writers chose to keep fans in suspense a little longer, opening the episode with Negan dragging Rick (Andrew Lincoln) into the gang’s RV and taking him away for a little mano-a-mano chat.
But we didn’t have to wait long. A stunned Rick, being toyed with by Negan in a sick game of cat and mouse, flashed back to moments earlier when Negan’s “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” game settled on Abraham, and Negan brought Lucille directly down on the rugged, lovable ex-soldier’s head.
A furious but wounded Daryl (Norman Reedus) couldn’t contain himself, and lunged at Negan. When the dust settled, Negan reminded Rick and his friends that rule-breaking wouldn’t go unpunished, and smashed Glenn’s head to a pulp in retaliation.
(For fans of the ongoing Walking Dead comics – and spoilers ahead if you haven’t read them – the scene played out very similarly to the way it did on paper, right down to Glenn’s eye bulging out of his bloodied, battered head. Gross.)
But Negan wasn’t quite done.
In the comics Rick loses a hand fairly early on, something that hasn’t been mirrored in the TV show, but which some fans thought might go down in the season premiere. Instead – and in a final display of dominance – Negan told Rick he’d have to cut off his son Carl’s left hand. A broken, cornered Rick nearly did it, until Negan called it off, instead taking Daryl captive and promising to chop off bits of him if Rick and his crew didn’t fall in line.
Suddenly the decision to end Season 6 on a cliffhanger makes sense. This might have been the show’s most dramatic season premiere yet.
Abraham was introduced late in Season 4, but had quickly become a favourite – and frequently quoted – character. His death leaves Rick’s group without some major muscle, blows a hole through the heart of Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), his budding paramour, and makes this world gone mad just a little darker than before.
Earnest, dependable, resourceful Glenn was introduced in the second episode of The Walking Dead’s first season, befriending a still-bewildered Rick Grimes and ultimately becoming one of his closest allies. He’d always been the heart and conscience of the group, reminding them of their humanity in the midst of the darkness. In a controversial mid-season fakeout, The Walking Dead made it seem like Glenn had been killed by zombies, only to reveal he was unharmed. Now, there’s absolutely no mistaking he’s gone.
While the episode dealt strictly with the immediate aftermath of Negan’s murders, The Walking Dead’s new supervillain will be a major presence throughout this season, as Rick and his surviving crew struggle to find a place in the psychopath’s empire, while figuring out a way to ultimately destroy him. Carol (Melissa McBride), Morgan (Lennie James) and Tara (Alanna Masterson) will all be back, sooner or later.
As more of Season 7 unfolds, we’ll also get our first look at King Ezekiel (Khary Payton), ruler of colony of survivors who model themselves after medieval knights. Along with his pet tiger Shiva, Ezekiel will end up being an ally to Rick and his group in the coming war against Negan and his Saviors.
But for now, all we can do is mourn Abraham and Glenn. And look forward to the day when Negan gets what’s coming to him. Ideally, at the business end of his own beloved Lucille.
In this image released by AMC, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, standing left, and kneeling from left, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Andrew Lincoln and Sonequa Martin-Green appear in a scene from "The Walking Dead." Sunday's cliffhanger ending to its sixth season fascinated more than 14 million viewers. (Gene Page/AMC via AP)
'The Walking Dead' starts season 7 with gore and Negan's victims revealed | TV |
By Steve Tilley, Postmedia Network
First posted: Sunday, October 23, 2016 10:33 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, October 23, 2016 11:32 PM EDT
**Contains Spoilers**
We expected the worst. And still, we were caught by surprise.
We knew Sunday night’s Season 7 premiere of AMC’s zombie apocalypse drama The Walking Dead would reveal which character fell victim to the charismatic, sadistic Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his barb wire-wrapped baseball bat, Lucille.
But in a shocking, gut-wrenching twist, it wasn’t just one character. It was two.
Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) both had their skulls caved in by Negan, an outcome that actor Morgan had hinted at in a recent interview, yet no one seemed to truly believe.
And for a show that has never been shy about graphic depictions of grue and gore, it was stomach-turning to watch.
After a six month wait since the Season 6 cliffhanger finale, The Walking Dead’s producers and writers chose to keep fans in suspense a little longer, opening the episode with Negan dragging Rick (Andrew Lincoln) into the gang’s RV and taking him away for a little mano-a-mano chat.
But we didn’t have to wait long. A stunned Rick, being toyed with by Negan in a sick game of cat and mouse, flashed back to moments earlier when Negan’s “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” game settled on Abraham, and Negan brought Lucille directly down on the rugged, lovable ex-soldier’s head.
A furious but wounded Daryl (Norman Reedus) couldn’t contain himself, and lunged at Negan. When the dust settled, Negan reminded Rick and his friends that rule-breaking wouldn’t go unpunished, and smashed Glenn’s head to a pulp in retaliation.
(For fans of the ongoing Walking Dead comics – and spoilers ahead if you haven’t read them – the scene played out very similarly to the way it did on paper, right down to Glenn’s eye bulging out of his bloodied, battered head. Gross.)
But Negan wasn’t quite done.
In the comics Rick loses a hand fairly early on, something that hasn’t been mirrored in the TV show, but which some fans thought might go down in the season premiere. Instead – and in a final display of dominance – Negan told Rick he’d have to cut off his son Carl’s left hand. A broken, cornered Rick nearly did it, until Negan called it off, instead taking Daryl captive and promising to chop off bits of him if Rick and his crew didn’t fall in line.
Suddenly the decision to end Season 6 on a cliffhanger makes sense. This might have been the show’s most dramatic season premiere yet.
Abraham was introduced late in Season 4, but had quickly become a favourite – and frequently quoted – character. His death leaves Rick’s group without some major muscle, blows a hole through the heart of Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), his budding paramour, and makes this world gone mad just a little darker than before.
Earnest, dependable, resourceful Glenn was introduced in the second episode of The Walking Dead’s first season, befriending a still-bewildered Rick Grimes and ultimately becoming one of his closest allies. He’d always been the heart and conscience of the group, reminding them of their humanity in the midst of the darkness. In a controversial mid-season fakeout, The Walking Dead made it seem like Glenn had been killed by zombies, only to reveal he was unharmed. Now, there’s absolutely no mistaking he’s gone.
While the episode dealt strictly with the immediate aftermath of Negan’s murders, The Walking Dead’s new supervillain will be a major presence throughout this season, as Rick and his surviving crew struggle to find a place in the psychopath’s empire, while figuring out a way to ultimately destroy him. Carol (Melissa McBride), Morgan (Lennie James) and Tara (Alanna Masterson) will all be back, sooner or later.
As more of Season 7 unfolds, we’ll also get our first look at King Ezekiel (Khary Payton), ruler of colony of survivors who model themselves after medieval knights. Along with his pet tiger Shiva, Ezekiel will end up being an ally to Rick and his group in the coming war against Negan and his Saviors.
But for now, all we can do is mourn Abraham and Glenn. And look forward to the day when Negan gets what’s coming to him. Ideally, at the business end of his own beloved Lucille.
In this image released by AMC, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, standing left, and kneeling from left, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Andrew Lincoln and Sonequa Martin-Green appear in a scene from "The Walking Dead." Sunday's cliffhanger ending to its sixth season fascinated more than 14 million viewers. (Gene Page/AMC via AP)
'The Walking Dead' starts season 7 with gore and Negan's victims revealed | TV |
Brad Pitt killed the zombie movie: George Romero
WENN.COM
First posted: Monday, October 31, 2016 07:03 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, October 31, 2016 08:21 PM EDT
Brad Pitt and The Walking Dead have killed the zombie movie, according to horror hero George Romero.
The Night of the Living Dead director fears zombie movies and TV shows are too common these days - and he’s no longer interested in creating a new horror franchise featuring the undead.
“The dead are everywhere,” Romero tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I think really Brad Pitt killed it. The Walking Dead and Brad Pitt just sort of killed it all. The remake of Dawn of the Dead made money. I think pretty big money. Then Zombieland made money, and then all of a sudden, along comes Brad Pitt and he spends $400 million or whatever the hell to do World War Z.
“(World War Z author) Max Brooks is a friend of mine, and I thought the film was not at all representative of what the book was and the zombies were... Ants crawling over the wall in Israel. Army ants!
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m content to wait until sort of zombies die off. My films, I’ve tried to put a message into them. It’s not about the gore, it’s not about the horror element that are in them. It’s more about the message, for me.”
The horror legend is preparing to debut a restoration of Night of the Living Dead, which became a cult hit upon its release in 1968, as part of the 14th To Save & Project festival, and he’s very impressed with the new-look movie.
“It looks like exactly the way we shot it,” George says. “It looks like the very first print that we ever saw of it. It’s in correct format... All of these people who are working on it are such dedicated, wonderful, professionals.”
But the restoration couldn’t iron out the errors: “Fans that want to look for it, you can see there’s a script in the corner of a screen. I’m not going to tell you where it is, but I know fans love to look for stuff like that.”
Brad Pitt killed the zombie movie: George Romero | Movies | Entertainment | Toro
WENN.COM
First posted: Monday, October 31, 2016 07:03 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, October 31, 2016 08:21 PM EDT
Brad Pitt and The Walking Dead have killed the zombie movie, according to horror hero George Romero.
The Night of the Living Dead director fears zombie movies and TV shows are too common these days - and he’s no longer interested in creating a new horror franchise featuring the undead.
“The dead are everywhere,” Romero tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I think really Brad Pitt killed it. The Walking Dead and Brad Pitt just sort of killed it all. The remake of Dawn of the Dead made money. I think pretty big money. Then Zombieland made money, and then all of a sudden, along comes Brad Pitt and he spends $400 million or whatever the hell to do World War Z.
“(World War Z author) Max Brooks is a friend of mine, and I thought the film was not at all representative of what the book was and the zombies were... Ants crawling over the wall in Israel. Army ants!
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m content to wait until sort of zombies die off. My films, I’ve tried to put a message into them. It’s not about the gore, it’s not about the horror element that are in them. It’s more about the message, for me.”
The horror legend is preparing to debut a restoration of Night of the Living Dead, which became a cult hit upon its release in 1968, as part of the 14th To Save & Project festival, and he’s very impressed with the new-look movie.
“It looks like exactly the way we shot it,” George says. “It looks like the very first print that we ever saw of it. It’s in correct format... All of these people who are working on it are such dedicated, wonderful, professionals.”
But the restoration couldn’t iron out the errors: “Fans that want to look for it, you can see there’s a script in the corner of a screen. I’m not going to tell you where it is, but I know fans love to look for stuff like that.”
Brad Pitt killed the zombie movie: George Romero | Movies | Entertainment | Toro