Walking Dead season 9 rumors: Major star rumored to leave show

The biggest Walking Dead season 9 rumors indicate that Maggie is leaving the AMC zombie show, but there might be a bigger star leaving as well.

The entire comic book and Walking Dead TV show have been built around Rick Grimes waking up from his coma and becoming the leader that has led his friends and family through the zombie apocalypse.

The comic books have hinted at the fact Carl Grimes was the man that would become the leader when the series comes to an end, replacing his father. However, Carl died in Walking Dead season 8, and now it sounds like Rick might be following him out the door.

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According to Collider, Andrew Lincoln is planning to leave after The Walking Dead season 9, which surprisingly means that the show will have to write out the character that both the comics and TV show have based their stories around. Rick is the first character that fans met and losing him could mark trouble for the series — which is already losing viewers.

Collider also reported that AMC had offered truckloads of money to Norman Reedus to remain with the show and step into the lead role when and if Andrew Lincoln leaves. With Daryl as arguably the most popular character on the series, it makes sense to try to use him to replace Rick if that happens.

Of course, Daryl has also become unreliable over the past two seasons. While both he and Rick have started to travel down immoral roads recently, Rick was able to find his humanity again at the end of season 8 and looked to rebuild the community once again. Daryl, on the other hand, is still reckless and has a bloodlust that leaders can’t have.

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If these Walking Dead rumors are right, the show could lose Rick Grimes and Maggie Walsh in the same season, which is an even more significant blow than when they lost Glenn and later Carl. Once Upon a Time proved that replacing major leading stars is not easy when the ratings plummeted in its final season.

If Rick Grimes leaves The Walking Dead, that could finally mark the end of the road for the hit zombie series.