The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 newcomer Kim Coates has teased details about his villain in the zombie franchise’s upcoming installment. The actor’s role in Dead City season 2 was previously confirmed prior to the season filming. It was revealed he will be portraying Brugal, leader of another group in New York City who is also vying for survival and power. His inclusion marks a change for the series, which will be exploring the city across eight episodes as Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is tasked with uniting all groups under the Burazi‘s ironclad rule.

Speaking with MovieWeb about his new Netflix miniseries, American Primeval, Coates revealed Dead City showrunner Eli Jorné wrote the part of Brugal specifically for him. The actor offered more details about the villain, revealing he’s an intelligent billionaire whose group is one of a few that have a major role to play in season 2. He also confirmed his character will “kill a lot of zombies,” and isn’t someone the heroes can trust. Check out what Coates had to say about his role below:

Eli Jorné, the showrunner, picked me and said ‘You have to play this guy,’ and I said ‘Send me some of the scripts,’ and they did. I gotta tell you, this guy was written for me. He’s a dink. He’s just a bad person, he’s super smart, he’s a billionaire. He lived in this incredible enclave during the zombie apocalypse in Manhattan, and when he came out, zombies were running Manhattan, he got his own little gang together. There’s three or four gangs in Season 2, and Brugal is my name, and I’m certainly the biggest gang member of my squad. I kill a lot of zombies.

What Coates’ Statement Says About Brugal In Dead City Season 2

The Walking Dead’s Survivors Face An Imposing New Enemy

The cast of Dead City will seemingly have plenty to contend with now that Coates’ Brugal is arriving on the scene. Although it’s unclear how closely aligned his ideas are to those of the Dama (Lisa Emery), his leadership under a different group means she’ll need him to fall in line. Whether Negan will force him to join her or not is unclear, but his status as a villain means he’ll probably also pose a threat to Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who is coming back to New York to rescue her old foe.

Coates’ statement still keeps some of Brugal’s character under wraps, though, including how he operates his group and whether he’ll willingly join the Burazi. Since the end of Dead City season 1 confirmed the Dama’s plans to unite New York under her banner, there’s bound to be some tension between both groups. But, with the actor framing his character as an antagonist, there’s also a possibility he does ally himself with her early on, becoming a key threat even if he gives up the level of power he starts with.

Our Take On Coates’ Reveals About Brugal In Dead City Season 2

Some Answers Also Lead To New Questions

While Coates provided some concrete answers about Brugal’s character and role in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2, he didn’t reveal much about how these characteristics will intersect with the overall story. While he’s a powerful figure in the Big Apple, it’s also a status that might not last long, depending on whether he falls in line with the Burazi or not. Even if he’s a major threat, he could also fall into a gray area depending on his true allegiances.

Upcoming The Walking Dead TV Shows
Release Date

The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2
Spring 2025

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3
2025

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