Andrew Lincoln’s The Walking Dead trilogy would have offered a vastly superior experience compared to the limited series, The Ones Who Live.

The Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln returned as Rick Grimes in the spin-off series, The Ones Who Live. Co-created by Scott M. Gimple, Lincoln, and Danai Gurira, the show follows Grimes and Michonne as they navigate the ongoing battle against the undead while attempting to reunite. However, it was not conceived as a miniseries.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes | Credit: AMC
Following Grimes’ departure from the original show in season 9, plans were announced for a film trilogy with the 50-year-old actor and Gurira was also slated to join him. However, the film trilogy eventually transformed into a limited series. Gimple recently revealed the reason why the trilogy plans were abandoned in favor of the limited series format.

Andrew Lincoln’s The Ones Who Live Underwent Significant Changes

In a recent conversation with TVLine, Scott M. Gimple shared the initial plans for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live and the reason why they had to eventually move ahead with a miniseries. He shared that The Ones Who Live underwent significant changes.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | Credit: AMC
“It was a very, very different thing that actually was going through a lot of iterations unto itself,” he said. The showrunner explained that the plans for the film trilogy were particularly impacted by Danai Gurira’s involvement.

“When we started [developing] the films, Danai was still on [The Walking Dead], so she was not in that first movie, and thus it was just enormously different — In the second film, because I knew [Danai] would be available by then, and I knew she was unbelievably critical.”

Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira | Credit: AMC

Gimple suggested that Michonne’s involvement significantly influenced the direction and dynamic of the storyline. “But that made for a very different movie,” he said before adding, “Even though Rick’s circumstances were very much the same.”

While the original plans were to make a trilogy following Rick Grimes, the prospect of the miniseries remains uncertain. The showrunner, Scott M. Gimple, however, has stated that Grimes and Michonne could potentially return in a second season of The Ones Who Live.

Why Orginal Trilogy Plan Would Have Been Much Better For The Ones Who Live?

The film trilogy announced following Andrew Lincoln’s departure from The Walking Dead was expected to expand the post-apocalyptic universe, by exploring a different side of the world. However, in 2022 the trilogy plans were dropped in favor of a miniseries, The Ones Who Live.

However, pursuing the original plans for Grimes’ story would have been much better. Gimple has shared that Danai Gurira would have been unavailable for the first film, which would have allowed them to have a more in-depth exploration of Rick Grimes’ experiences with CRM.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | Credit: AMC
Following the original plan for the film trilogy would have potentially offered a larger production budget, giving makers an opportunity to develop a more visually stunning and ambitious storyline. With the first film exploring Grimes’ time at GRM, the following installments could have potentially focused on different aspects of Rick and Michonne’s journey.

The broader exploration of the story with a higher production value in a film trilogy would have potentially been a more fulfilling viewing experience for fans, who have been following The Walking Dead universe for years.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is available to stream on Prime Video.