Scott M. Gimple Talks ‘Walking Dead’ Universe Expansion, Exploring a New Country, Daryl Dixon’s Story, and More

Scott M. Gimple, the guy steering the ship for ‘The Walking Dead’ franchise, has been dropping some exciting hints with ScreenRant about where the zombie-packed world is heading next. As the chief content officer, he’s got a lot on his plate, and he’s not shy about wanting to take the story to new places—literally. I caught wind of his latest thoughts, and it’s clear he’s dreaming big.

The universe of ‘The Walking Dead’ has already sprawled across plenty of ground. It kicked off in Atlanta, wandered up to Virginia, and even took a detour to the West Coast with ‘Fear the Walking Dead.’ Now, with spinoffs like ‘Dead City’ and ‘Daryl Dixon,’ we’re seeing characters pop up in New York and France. Gimple isn’t stopping there, though. He’s got his eye on a fresh location, one the franchise hasn’t touched yet, and he’s buzzing with excitement about it. No word yet on where exactly, but it’s safe to say it’ll shake things up.

Daryl Dixon, played by Norman Reedus, has been a huge part of this expansion. His show, ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,’ started with him washing up in France, a far cry from his Georgia roots. That first season came out in September 2023, and it was a hit, showing Daryl tangled up with new faces and some seriously tough walkers. Season two, dubbed ‘The Book of Carol,’ brought Melissa McBride back as Carol Peletier, and it aired in September 2024. They’re already working on a third season, set to take the duo to Spain. Gimple says Daryl’s journey is key to pushing the story into new corners of the world.

What’s cool is how Gimple ties this all together. He’s not just throwing characters into random spots for fun. He wants to explore how people are surviving—or not—across the globe. The France setting, for example, digs into the zombie virus’s origins, something we glimpsed in ‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond.’ That post-credits scene in a French lab hinted at faster, meaner walkers, and Daryl’s run-ins with them prove it’s not just talk.

Gimple’s also got a soft spot for experimenting. He mentioned some ideas that didn’t make it to the screen, stories he’s played out in his head that he still loves. It sounds like he’s got a treasure trove of what-ifs up his sleeve, and even if they didn’t work out, they’ve shaped how he’s moving forward. One project he’s teasing now has him grinning ear to ear—it’s a place we’ve never seen, and he’s dying to show it off.

The main show wrapped up after 11 seasons in 2022, leaving us with a mix of nostalgia and curiosity. Since then, the spinoffs have taken over. ‘Dead City’ follows Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in a crumbling New York, with season two hitting screens soon in spring 2025. ‘The Ones Who Live’ gave Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) a six-episode sendoff in early 2024, though Gimple hints they might not be done yet. These shows keep the world alive, and I can’t help but wonder who else might get their own adventure.

For Gimple, it’s about keeping the spirit of ‘The Walking Dead’ going while mixing in something fresh. He’s got Norman Reedus trekking through Europe, and now he’s cooking up another spot to explore. We might see new characters or old favorites pop up—maybe even someone like Glenn (Steven Yeun) or Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) in a flashback. Whatever it is, Gimple’s got a knack for keeping us hooked.

So, what’s next? Spain’s on the map for Daryl and Carol, and this mystery country Gimple’s hyped about could be anything from Asia to Africa. Wherever it is, he’s promising a wild ride. I’m already counting the days until we get more of this zombie chaos—bring it on, Scott!