Jon Bernthal Sets Walking Dead Return
The rumors are true: Walking Dead alum Jon Bernthal will reprise his role of Shane Walsh during the zombie drama’s forthcoming ninth season, TVLine has learned. Although an AMC rep declined to comment, sources confirm that the Punisher actor will appear in one episode.
Bernthal was written off The Walking Dead near the end of Season 2 when Shane was fatally stabbed by his onetime BFF Rick (Andrew Lincoln). His character returned for an episode in Season 3 when he appeared as a figment of Rick’s imagination. Conventional wisdom suggests that Shane will either turn up in another hallucination or in a series of pre-death flashbacks.
Speculation about Bernthal’s return gathered steam over the weekend when a fan spotted him hanging out with fellow Walking Dead cast members near the series’ Georgia set (scroll down to view the evidence). His comeback also coincides with (unconfirmed) rumblings that Lincoln will depart the AMC hit during Season 9, allegedly after appearing in only a half-dozen episodes. To compensate for the possible loss of its leading man, AMC is reportedly looking to give Norman Reedus (Daryl) a “substantial” pay boost to stick around.
In addition, The Walking Dead is bracing for the potential departure of Lauren Cohan (Maggie), who will segue to ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier after appearing in a handful of Season 9 episodes.
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In my eyes, you can’t get rid of Rick, it’s like his story. You do that and you may lose me as a fan, just like fear lost Nick and they lost me
Ugh, Nick was the worst. Good riddance. I remember saying sometime in Season 2 of Fear that I wouldn’t mind if all the cast died and we started fresh. We’re 3/4 of the way there!!
I hated NIck in Season One, by mid-Season Two he was my favorite character. This year his character kind of ran out of steam. When you’re in the Zombie Apocalypse and weevils in your crops are your biggest problem, boredom can set in.
Exactly, I loved Nick.
Best character and best actor on that show.
I liked fear but I stopped watching since he departed.
FTWD can’t handle losing his best asset.
TWD might live on without Rick but I won’t watch anymore.
I like Carol the most but it’s his story and without him I’m done.
Nick was terrible. I’m glad he got sent to the zombie pasture in the sky.
.
Carol was the coolest character on TWD but that ship sailed like 2 or 3 years ago and she is now among the most tiresome characters on the show.
.
TWD losing Rick and Maggie will be the best thing that could have happened to the show. These actions will completely untether the show from the books and open the world up to daring new plots and completely unpredictable scenarios.
Carol’s character has been very neglected and so has become nothing more than a prop. I say resurrect her. We’ve lost so many key leads on TWD, now losing Lauren and Lincoln, it won’t be the same show. Doubt if Reedus can carry the lead effectively the way his character has developed. Maybe time to just call it a wrap.
They should bring back Andera instead or maybe both. I don’t know who was in charge of the writing for season 3 but maybe if stay the hell away from her then she can be done right
They should not have killed the kings Tiger period or glen and Abraham they could have killed off 2 nobodies and been ok
What about Daryl? He’s not in the books.
If you’re expecting “daring new plots” and “unpredictable scenarios,” then we haven’t been watching the same show. The writing was never stellar, but in years past, it had its moments. I bailed on the show after the Negan introduction because the writing had been an atrocity for far too long and showed no signs of improving.
Every interview I’ve read with TWD creative team indicates that they’re smug and tone-deaf about what fans want, and with ratings in freewill, it’s clear they’ve lost many because of their arrogance.
TWD will not and should not survive the loss of Andrew Lincoln. It doesn’t deserve to.
I must respectfully disagree. It has had its slower moments, but overall I find the TWD writing to be right out of the top drawer. they have a fine line to walk between being faithful to the comic book material and improving upon it. All while owning the non-canonical characters they have created for the show. I agree with you that a lot of fans have fallen off and want… I don’t know… probably the more survivalist feel of season 1? But the way they crafted these characters, and raise my heart rate, and explore the new world is well worth the watch, IMO. Otherwise, @Karen’s Doc Martin’s, what show(s) has better writing?
If the showrunners are right and they want to make this a show that lasts 30 years, then they’ll need to eventually write Rick out of the series. Having said that, I don’t disagree with you. I also don’t want it to go 30 years.
TWD is my forever love!! Lol
I got hooked and watched 8 seasons within a month, it’s fair to say I was literally a zombie in work with the late nights I always had!!
I was so glad when he died but I won’t mind him in flashbacks. Losing Rick and Maggie will hurt though.
I was pissed when Shane died , he made it very interesting . Needless to say if Rick dies then I will not watch the show anymore . I have watch the show since the first night it aired and have never missed an episode and till this last season , I missed a bunch of episodes because I got extremely bored . It’s going downhill and they know it if Rick dies they will lose probably half of their viewers!
I figure Andrew Lincoln felt like I did, so sick of Negan and angry that they didn’t kill him off that he’s abandoning the show.
lol,
tbh I guess Anrew knows the comics and was aware of the fact that Negan is still alive.
If Negan was as boring in the comics as in his 2nd season on the TV show, I’m glad I never read them. Clearly the TV version is not entirely tied to the comics, since Daryl never even appeared in the comics. And I’m told, other differences big and small.
Or.. more likely.. his contract is up and he wants to spend more time near where his family lives.
I was leaning towards giving up on the series anyway, but Rick leaving may be a good thing. I really didn’t care for the idea of killing lead actors just for the sake of killing the lead actors. It changes too much of the flow of the series. I know, I know, it follows the comic book, but how many screenwriters actually do that.
This is clearly gonna be some dream or fantasy sequence as Rick is dying..
Or maybe it’ll be a mind blowing thing, where it never really survived the gun shots, and died in the hospital….
Welp, I guess Rick will die this season. I’m out. Be interesting to see how Shane factors into his dying dream sequence. Lori and Caorrlll…er I mean Carl should come back too probably.
Without Rick the Walking dead ends with me watching the show.Rick story is the WD You writers let Negan walk and out smart,the original characters.Rick should have killed him in season 7
Good by,WD you are the best Rick
Nancy😢😢
This show will nose dive without Rick! Stupid move.
Wellll, it’s kinda hard to keep somebody who has decided to move on. Maybe they can talk him in to staying but I think it’s a done deal.
Never liked Bernthal or his character so not looking forward this development.
Agree with you !
I am a big WD fan, & will watch as long as the show goes, but since everyone is complaining about all that has happened thus far with all the characters. If you want my opinion they should just go ahead in and The Walking Dead season 9. They should write It in as Rick wakes up everything that’s happened to this point it’s completely a dream,and that’s how they should just end the show. Rick was in a coma for a short bit and woke up to find the world a mess, just write it in as he was finally coming to and finally wake up from a dream.
Without Rick’s natural-born leadership, TWD is devoid of the only character on the show who can keep a cool head, strategize On or above the villain’s level, and have the patience to carry it out. Darrell is a great character but is missing two of those qualities
After having been convinced to at least check it out..I began with S1E1 and was hooked…I fell in love with characters and their human counterparts…I could not stop watching…the walkers created their obvious unknowns but I am in awe of the make up work on these walkers..the relationships developed between characters..the character personalities. ..just make for those I would like as friends…l won’t miss it…losing Carl was a stun. ..emotionally and professional. ..I understand why…but no other main characters departing would be acceptable….I love the show. Don’t let it end..
My guess is the character of Shane will appear in Rick’s final episode as he might start reflecting on the past.However it wouldn’t surprise if the actress who played Lori also returns.
NOOOOOOO!
WT actual F. They kill off the character which the entire series is supposed to be about (Carl), now they’re reviving the worst character in the series? (Bernthal is an amazing actor, just Shane is the WORST) Not that I should care, I’m done watching the perpetual trainwreck this has become.
The Walking Dead showrunners must really want the series to die and move on to other projects…
I’m assuming this return centers around Rick’s death/departure from the series.
Laughing at the clowns who say Shane was the worst character. Bernthal completely destroys Andy.
Rick has always been my favorite character on TWD, can’t imagine it without him. Be good to have Shane back for an episode, hopefully he gets a good one, not some boring, 5-second flash of him.
Oh Sh*t Shane’s back………I thought S3 was the last time we see him, since NOW Rick is no longer going to be around I guess. It makes sense for a flashback/hallucination. I still hate that Rick & Maggie are leaving tho.
I never liked Shane. Bringing him back will be a big letdown. Why don’t the Walking Dead writers end the series with some respect?
Here’s my idea: Rick wakes up in the hospital after being in a coma. Every character from the series will appear in the hospital as either a patient, visitor, doctor, nurse or other hospital employee. Rick, at first, thinks that he’s having a flashback and can’t believe that the zombie apocalypse was a nightmare. That is, until the PA announcement in the hospital says that there’s a national health crisis and for everyone to take shelter. As the series finale fades out we see zombies come into the hospital room and devour everyone.
So excited that NR will have the lead. His character, Daryl has limitless story that can be told. Glad to see Berenthal back, even if it’s only one ep. Would love to see Beth come back now that LC is leaving. The best seasons of the show were at the farm.
SHANE BACK!!!!!YEAH
PLEASE BRING THE ORIGINAL WALKING. DEAD.
The Walking Dead will be a low rating show once Rick Grimes character is killed off. Renew his contract or offer him a substantial amount of money to continue his role. After all, Rick is the backbone of the show, he is one reason why I watch the show.
So if Rick gets Shane (and maybe Lori?) as flashbacks in final episode, does Maggie get them with Glen and Hershel?
I agree with so many of the posters. TWD without Rick is no TWD. Not saying that anyone else could lead the grop, but I don’t believe anyone on canvas now could truly do the job due to their not stepping up more with Rick around to assist him. Love Daryl, but Daryl has proven time and time again that he is a best of the best right hand man, but haven’t seen him do anything that would make him a leader. TWD dead is loosing too many characters that have held the show together for these many years. I think Machonne perhaps may be able to step in as a leader, but with her success in The Black Panther, the chances of keeping her around is minimal. Maggie already has another show, but don’t feel she has done a very good job as a leader. Maybe Negan can be transformed into a good guy, like Carl’s dream for the future, and lead the folk in a positive fashion.