Gene Page/AMC(LOS ANGELES) — (SPOILERS AHEAD) Rick Grimes may be about to meet his maker. The Walking Dead’s leading man, Andrew Lincoln, will reportedly leave the show after the upcoming season, Collider reports.
Sources say Lincoln will reprise his role as Rick for the ninth season and then bow out. He is expected to only appear in six episodes in the upcoming season.
While no further details about his exit have been released, Us Weekly reports that co-star Norman Reedus negotiated a $20 million contract to stay on and have his character Daryl Dixon take on a leading role in Lincoln’s absence.
This wouldn’t be the show’s first time losing one of its main cast members. In The Walking Dead‘s recently concluded eighth season, Chandler Riggs — who had been on the show since the beginning and played Grimes’ son, Carl — was killed off the show.
AMC has not commented on any of the news.
The Walking Dead’s ninth season premieres this fall on AMC.
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