Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon surrounded by film reels and Roman numerals

Norman Reedus is set to star in a major action film in 2025, and one scene from The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon just confirmed he will be an absolutely perfect fit. Having played Daryl Dixon for 14 years, Reedus is no stranger to action and drama, as his role in the zombie series has made him a veteran of both genres. While he has had plenty of humorous and heartfelt moments, some of Daryl Dixon’s best Walking Dead scenes have come when the character is at the heart of the conflict, proving Reedus knows how to portray violence on screen.

However, despite all his experience, Reedus’ upcoming project will require even more from the actor. He is set to join one of the most popular modern action franchises, which will be a step above what he has been doing in the zombie universe in terms of choreography. Thankfully, Daryl Dixon eases any doubt, as it has already proven he can excel in the high-octane style associated with his new movie. Daryl’s epic fight scene flaunted the actor’s exceptional action chops, proving Norman Reedus’ potential Walking Dead replacement will be exactly the type of environment he can thrive in.

Daryl Dixon Season 2 Fight Scene Proves Norman Reedus Is Perfect For John Wick’s Spinoff Movie

Daryl Battling L’Union Felt Like A Scene Straight Out Of The John Wick Franchise

2025 is lining up to be a big year for Norman Reedus, as his role in Ballerina will be one of his biggest cinematic performances in years. Given how long Reedus has been involved in The Walking Dead, there shouldn’t be any doubts about his capabilities when it comes to fitting into the John Wick franchise, but if there were any concerns, Daryl Dixon just eliminated them. The spinoff’s second season revealed that L’Union isn’t the peaceful group Daryl thought they were, and the now villainous faction tried to kill him so that they could carry out their ceremony.

The mixture of melee and gun kills alongside the single-take style of filming was rather unique for The Walking Dead and seemed to be somewhat inspired by John Wick .

Thankfully, Daryl was able to survive and disrupt L’Union’s plans, resulting in an epic fight scene that closely resembles the sort of combat seen in the John Wick films. The fast-paced, close-quarters brawl saw Daryl take on numerous L’Union soldiers, who he fought and killed one after the other. Additionally, the mixture of melee and gun kills alongside the single-take style of filming was rather unique for The Walking Dead and seemed to be somewhat inspired by John Wick.

Reedus looked like a natural when it came to dispatching enemy after enemy, suggesting that he would have no problem slotting into Ballerina‘s style of action. Given Daryl is one of the best fighters in The Walking Dead, he seemed believable in this role, and so long as Reedus’ John Wick character is given a similar set-up, there is no doubt he will be perfect for the spinoff movie.

How Much Of Daryl Vs. The Union Soldiers Is Shot In A Single Take

The Majority Of Daryl’s Fight Scene Appeared To Be Shot In A Single Take

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon surrendering while holding a knife in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

Without confirmation from the directors, it’s hard to know for sure just how much of Daryl vs. The Union’s soldiers was done in one take, but the fight inside seemed to predominantly be one continuous bit of filming. The indoor segment saw Daryl take on several soldiers at once, and the 90-second scene appears to be almost entirely one shot. Although there could be cuts when he throws his knife at an enemy and when he is tackled through a table, these are the sort of seamless transitions you’d expect in a John Wick film, making it extremely well executed.

Custom image of Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead franchise

Therefore, if there were in fact any small cuts, they were incredibly subtle. Opting to film this way made the action feel so much more engaging and refreshing, adding to the drama of Daryl battling for his life. While it was obvious he wasn’t going to die, the struggle to overcome these overwhelming odds was definitely heightened by the single-take technique. As a result, I hope Daryl Dixon and The Walking Dead in general take this sort of approach to their action sequences going forward, as it was easily one of the franchise’s best fight scenes in years.