'The Walking Dead' Showrunners Reveal Their New Strategy for Season 8; One of the Leaders Will Die Soon

Who says lead characters cannot die in a series or in a film? Well, that could happen in "The Walking Dead" season 8, where Rick Grimes may not see the light again. The show has been criticized with its extreme violence and the producers have previously responded that they are not toning it down. It is said that there will be new characters in the upcoming season and Rick is one good candidate who could die next season.

Rick is considered as an everyman character in "The Walking Dead" who always gives emphasis on moral codes and values. His morality has been tested so many times just to protect his family and friends. Fans have noticed that he is becoming more brutal and colder over time no matter how hard he try to maintain his son's innocence. It is not a secret that the series' ratings have significantly dropped and the showrunners have planned for new strategies to reclaim the show's high ratings in the past.

"The Walking Dead" showrunner Scott Gimple told Entertainment Weekly that season 8 is going to be different. He went on to say that it will go straight into intense battles and will no longer make each character's story as its focal point. "So, yeah, things are going to move, and possibly not have the kind of deep dives into characters in single episodes, but rather laying out the pieces as we go on," Gimple explained.

According to Comic Book, a couple of leaders are in danger next season. In the comics, Rick survives the all out war against Negan in "The Walking Dead" but as the show's creator Robert Kirkman has stated before, he will eventually kill Rick in the show. Negan is also alive in the comics but he is locked up in prison in Alexandria although this won't probably happen in the series. Fans have been asking the showrunners that Negan's death should be something gruesome as a vengeance to those he brutally killed such as Abraham and Glenn.

"The Walking Dead" season 8 is expected to premiere in October although AMC has yet to confirm this. Fans should look forward to who should die next season. Is it the sadistic villain Negan or the everyman character Rick? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!