Carl Grimes’ Absence Haunts The Walking Dead Spinoffs as Franchise Faces Future Without Its Heir

Key facts

• Carl Grimes died in The Walking Dead season 8, aired in 2018.
• Chandler Riggs, who played Carl, was reportedly caught off guard by the decision.
• The Walking Dead ended its 11-season run in 2022.
• Current spinoffs include Daryl Dixon, Dead City, and The Ones Who Live.
• AMC and Ares Interactive announced The Walking Dead: Aftermath, a free-to-play roguelite game coming summer 2025.
• Judith Grimes, Aaron, Ezekiel, and Eugene Porter are major survivors yet to appear in any spinoff.
• Dead City season 3 is set to premiere in June 2025 at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival.

A Franchise That Refuses to Die, but Missing Its Chosen Successor

AMC has ensured that The Walking Dead franchise persists beyond the original series’ 11-season run, which concluded in 2022, through a slate of spinoffs that bring back fan-favorite characters. Daryl Dixon, Dead City, and The Ones Who Live have reunited audiences with Norman Reedus’ Daryl, Melissa McBride’s Carol, Lauren Cohan’s Maggie, Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan, and, in the case of The Ones Who Live, Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes and Danai Gurira’s Michonne. Yet one character who was long positioned as the franchise’s future — Rick’s son, Carl Grimes — cannot appear in any of these offshoots, a void that grows more conspicuous as the universe expands. Carl’s death in season 8, a decade ago, ended what many fans and even actor Chandler Riggs believed was a trajectory toward leadership. In Robert Kirkman’s comic series, Carl survives to become a central figure; the show’s divergence has left a narrative gap that no flashback can now fill, given Riggs’ maturation and the passage of time.

The Decision That Altered the Show’s Trajectory

Carl Grimes was killed off in the eighth season after sacrificing himself to save Siddiq, a decision that reportedly caught Chandler Riggs off guard. The move drew widespread outrage from fans, and even years later, few defend it as a creative success. The show never fully regained the narrative momentum it had in earlier seasons, and Carl’s absence is widely seen as a turning point from which the series struggled to recover. With the spinoffs now focused on telling new stories using established characters, the absence of a young protagonist who could bridge the original series and a next-generation narrative is acutely felt. Carl, who had been present since the pilot, was uniquely positioned to lead a spinoff centered on rebuilding society or exploring new communities alongside his sister Judith.

The Spinoffs’ Reliance on Legacy Characters

The current wave of spinoffs leans heavily on the original show’s most popular survivors. Daryl Dixon and Dead City are headlined by Reedus, McBride, Cohan, and Morgan, while The Ones Who Live concluded Rick and Michonne’s story. These series have been well received, but they raise an unavoidable question: what happens when the franchise exhausts its roster of veteran characters? Fans have speculated about spinoffs featuring other survivors who have yet to reappear, such as Aaron, Ezekiel, and Eugene Porter. Aaron, a fan favorite last seen leading Alexandria, could serve as a link between past and future. Ezekiel’s relationship with Negan makes him a natural fit for Dead City, while Eugene’s redemption arc — from coward to hero during the Commonwealth revolution — offers rich material. Yet none of these characters carry the generational weight that Carl once did.

Judith Grimes: The Next Best Hope for a Grimes-Led Future

Among the survivors who have not yet appeared in a spinoff, Judith Grimes stands out as the most promising candidate to carry the franchise forward. As Rick’s daughter and a character who has grown up in the post-apocalyptic world, Judith embodies the questions fans are asking: what does the world look like when she reaches adulthood? How does she navigate her father’s absence? A Judith-centered spinoff would allow the franchise to explore a new generation while maintaining a connection to the original series. However, no current spinoff provides a natural entry point for her character unless they are deliberately setting up the next phase of the universe. The possibility remains speculative, but fan demand is strong.

New Gaming Venture Expands the Universe This Summer

AMC Global Media and Ares Interactive have announced The Walking Dead: Aftermath, a free-to-play roguelite game set in the AMC series’ world. Players will control iconic survivors including Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, and Michonne, fighting walker herds, hostile enemies, and bosses while managing base-building and survival strategy. The game is scheduled for release this summer on Google Play and the App Store, though a specific date has not been revealed. The announcement adds to a busy season for Walking Dead fans: Dead City season 3 will premiere in June at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, and the From Atlanta to Paris 2 convention is also set for June. The game’s roguelite mechanics, similar to Ares Interactive’s previous title Heroes vs. Hordes, promise high-intensity action that fits the franchise’s tone.

The Unresolved Question of What Comes Next

As the franchise continues to produce spinoffs and expand into gaming, the fundamental question of its long-term future remains unanswered. The current strategy of centering stories on beloved original characters has worked, but it is not sustainable indefinitely. AMC will eventually need to decide whether to build up a new generation of survivors — perhaps through Judith or other young characters — or to keep returning to the same well. Carl Grimes’ death foreclosed one obvious path forward. The franchise, which built its identity on the idea that no one is safe, now faces the ironic challenge of outliving its intended heir. Whether it can forge a new future without him will define the next chapter of The Walking Dead universe.

The bottom line

• Carl Grimes’ death in season 8 eliminated the character who was meant to lead the franchise’s next generation.
• Current spinoffs rely on legacy characters like Daryl, Carol, Negan, and Maggie, but have no young protagonist to carry the story forward.
• Judith Grimes is the most logical candidate for a future spinoff, but no current series provides a natural entry point.
• Survivors Aaron, Ezekiel, and Eugene have yet to appear in any spinoff, offering potential but not the generational link Carl provided.
• The Walking Dead: Aftermath, a free-to-play roguelite game, launches summer 2025, expanding the franchise into interactive media.
• The franchise must soon decide whether to cultivate new characters or risk exhausting its existing roster.