'There is a third uncontrollable, almost undefeatable threat that is going to come in when the characters of the show are at their most vulnerable,' says comic book creator Robert Kirkman.
- Jul 15, 2013
AceShowbiz - Bigger danger may be lurking in the corner when "The Walking Dead" returns with its fourth season. Speaking to TV Guide about the upcoming installment of the popular post-apocalyptic series, Robert Kirkman reveals that zombies and humans are not the only things that threaten the existence of Rick and his gang.
"There is a considered effort towards reminding people just how big of a threat the zombies truly are," he says of the tone of season 4. "I don't think we ever truly got away from that, but we did shift our focus to a human antagonist in season 3. In season 4, we are definitely focusing on the zombies, showing them as a clear threat, and bringing them back to the forefront to a certain extent. They will be a very present, huge danger that everyone will have to deal with. But at the same time, we liked bringing in humans as a big threat in season 3."
He goes on dishing, "We are bringing in another threat, which is nature itself. I don't really want to get into specifics too much, but I will say that there is a third uncontrollable, almost undefeatable threat that is going to come in when the characters of the show are at their most vulnerable. It's really going to be something that they have a hard time dealing with."
As for The Governor who is still out there, Kirkman teases that "there is definitely something brewing on the horizon. You'll never know how it is going to happen or when. It's largely an unknown threat, but that guy hasn't gone away."
New showrunner Scott Gimple adds that the next season will have "a good amount of dark story time... There's some interesting lighter stuff. It's 'The Walking Dead', it's not 'Seinfeld'. Things do get dark. Things do get rough and scary and exciting. There is a little balance of funny, though."
Asked if the show will eventually feature [SPOILER ALERT!] Rick losing his hand like in the comics, both Kirkman and Gimple play coy with their answers. "I will say Scott Gimple is a huge comic fan and may possibly be trying to steer me into letting the show be closer to what the comic books are. Also people could be misinterpreting those photos. Who knows?" the former says, as the latter adds, "I may have convinced him. Possibly. We may not know that."
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, it's revealed that the Governor would still be very much part of the storyline as Michonne is "on a mission to hunt down the Governor." "It's something she's very obsessed with," Kirkman explained. "It's big part of her character this season. She did lose Andrea and she lost her because of the Governor. She's not willing to let that guy go or be out there. It's something that may possibly be to her detriment, the fact that she's so dedicated to finding this person."
"The Walking Dead" will return in October on AMC and will hold a panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 19 at 1:35 P.M. in Hall H. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the comic books.
