For years, The Walking Dead franchise has expanded into a sprawling universe with multiple spinoffs, most recently those spinoffs have each followed different characters embarking on their own journeys. Fear the Walking Dead was the first to branch out, followed by The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Tales of the Walking Dead, Dead City, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live and Daryl Dixon. While these spinoffs have introduced fresh perspectives and new characters, they have also left the franchise feeling disjointed.

With apparent plans by AMC to launch yet another The Walking Dead spinoff, there’s a very obvious roadmap to what would have the most success. There needs to be an end to all of the franchise’s most popular characters all going off in different directions and different missions. After years of a somewhat interconnected universe telling separate stories, it’s time to connect all of the spinoff characters and all of the spinoffs in a kind of Avengers: End Game approach.

The Walking Dead Needs To Unite The Storylines

Since The Walking Dead ended in 2022, AMC has continued the franchise through various spinoffs, each taking different characters to separate parts of the world. Dead City sent Maggie and Negan to a post-apocalyptic New York circa 2029, Daryl Dixon dropped Daryl into France, and The Ones Who Live explored Rick and Michonne’s reunion in the CRM-controlled world. After Carol’s fate remained nebulous for a time even Melissa McBride returned in Daryl Dixon season 2.

While each of these stories has its merits, they leave the universe feeling fragmented. The Walking Dead was at its best when it balanced multiple perspectives and conflicts under one overarching storyline. Instead of keeping its most beloved characters in separate series, the franchise should take the bold step of bringing them back together.

Bringing Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Negan, Rick, and Michonne into one series would create the ultimate Walking Dead experience. Fans have spent years watching their individual journeys, and their reunions would be a momentous event. Each character has evolved significantly since they last shared the screen, setting the stage for new dynamics and conflicts. Would Rick, Daryl and Carol ever fully trust Negan? How would Rick react to Daryl’s time in France? Could Carol and Michonne find common ground after so much time apart? These are the questions that a unified show could explore.

The scattered approach to storytelling worked initially as a way to expand the world of The Walking Dead, but now it’s time to consolidate. By reuniting these key characters, AMC would deliver an event-level series that brings longtime fans back into the fold.

Time Jumps Are Nothing New For The Walking Dead

One of the biggest challenges in uniting these storylines is the timeline. Dead City is set years after The Walking Dead finale, while Daryl Dixon and The Ones Who Live are happening closer to the show’s ending. Each spinoff follows its own timeline, making a direct crossover complicated. However, The Walking Dead has always played fast and loose with time jumps, meaning this obstacle can easily be overcome if everything merged again after Dead City, bringing the other timelines forward.

The franchise has used time jumps several times before. After the war against the Saviors, the main series jumped forward six years, introducing a world where Rick had long been presumed dead. Fear the Walking Dead also played with its timeline, jumping ahead a few years to sync up with The Walking Dead. If AMC wants to bring these characters back together, another time jump is a viable solution.

If AMC wants to bring these characters back together, another time jump is a viable solution.

Furthermore, time jumps would allow The Walking Dead to explore new storylines without being constrained by past events. Instead of trying to resolve every loose thread from each spinoff, a jump forward could reset the stakes and create a new mission that brings everyone together. Perhaps the CRM’s influence expands, forcing the scattered survivors to unite against a greater threat. Maybe Alexandria is in danger again, prompting the return of its former leaders. The possibilities are endless, but the key is bringing the main characters back into the same narrative space.

The Walking Dead’s Future Depends on a Bold Move

AMC has made it clear that The Walking Dead universe isn’t going anywhere. With multiple spinoffs in play, the franchise is still thriving. However, if it wants to keep fans truly engaged, it needs to bring its biggest characters back into one unified story. Separating these figures into different shows has worked in the short term, but the best way to honor the legacy of The Walking Dead is to reunite them in an epic, final chapter.

A crossover series featuring Rick, Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Negan, and Michonne would be a dream come true for longtime fans. The franchise has spent years building toward this moment, and the payoff would be massive. Time jumps have been used before, so aligning the timelines wouldn’t be an issue. What matters most is giving these characters the closure they deserve—together.

As The Walking Dead continues to evolve, AMC has the opportunity to make one of the biggest moves in franchise history. If they take the bold step of uniting these storylines, they won’t just make the fans happy—they’ll create an unforgettable, defining chapter in The Walking Dead saga.