The Walking Dead's Lauren Cohan Explains Maggie & Negan Spinoff Origin
Lauren Cohan, star of The Walking Dead, explains the origins of her character Maggie's spinoff with Negan, the forthcoming Isle of the Dead. Based on the comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead first aired in October 2010, focusing on a small group of survivors immediately following the onset of a zombie apocalypse. Now in the middle of its final season, The Walking Dead has thus far spawned two spinoff shows, Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. And with the main show wrapping up this year, three additional spinoffs have been announced as well as a film series detailing the whereabouts of former Walking Dead main character Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).
One of the spinoffs that has piqued much interest is Isle of the Dead. The upcoming series will see Maggie and onetime arch nemesis Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) join forces as they head up the east coast and enter the island of Manhattan, which has been cut off from the mainland long ago. The city is teeming with walkers as well as people who have accepted the post-apocalyptic concrete jungle as their home. Cohan recently praised the story for her Walking Dead spinoff, saying that she found it "really powerful and such an interesting way for fans to get to see these characters continue." The six-episode Isle of the Dead is set to premiere in 2023 with The Walking Dead writer Eli Jorne serving as showrunner.
In a recent ComicBook.com interview, Lauren Cohan detailed the origins of Isle of the Dead. The series was one of multiple Walking Dead spinoffs considered for Maggie. Cohan then explained what made the creative team settle on this one. Read more of what the actor had to say below.
"I mean, Jeff and I are just over the moon because it completely serves who they are and where they will end up at the end of Season 11. It's somehow even more fraught than we've been in this season. So it's good for us because I feel like I got to find things of Maggie that I wanted to explore more, and this backdrop for Isle and in conflict with Negan is such a great opportunity to do it.
"So I think they had a lot of different ideas and then they sketched everything out. And whatever feels the most enticing and what we think the fans will be most excited about is what won the day."
Although more specific plot details about Isle of the Dead are still unknown, the dynamic between Maggie and Negan will be the crux of the story. When Negan was the leader of The Saviors, he bludgeoned Maggie's husband and father of her child to death in front of her eyes. Maggie has had her heart set on getting revenge since her return to The Walking Dead, but events in season 11 have made her desires more complicated. During a massacre of a smaller community by the Commonwealth's Hornsby (Josh Hamilton), Negan saves Maggie's son Hershel's life.
This sets up an interesting position for Maggie as Isle of the Dead draws closer. The Walking Dead season 11 still has some time left to switch things up between Maggie and Negan, but the groundwork has been laid for their upcoming partnership. With the ultimate reason of why Maggie and Negan must venture into the heart of New York City for the upcoming The Walking Dead spinoff not yet clear, fans are surely expecting a resolution to their deep-rooted history. Based on Cohan's comments, though, it sounds like Maggie and Negan's adventure in Isle of the Dead will be quite satisfying.
The Walking Dead season 11 returns in fall 2022.
Source: ComicBook.com