By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, June 29, 2016
If you happen to be in Los Angeles starting July 4, Universal Studios will be opening a "Walking Dead" themed attraction there.
Forbes spoke with Greg Nicotero , a key executive producer of the show, spoke about how it works:
It's a permanent retelling of our storyline from the beginning. We see the hospital, we see the prison, we see aspects of the show that are iconic and lead the participants through high points of The Walking Dead.
"This is a great opportunity for them to walk in the footsteps that Rick has walked in, that Daryl has walked in, by entering this attraction and getting a little bit of the greatest hits of what we've done over the last six years. Everything that we used on The Walking Dead television show, we have re-created here in painstakingly gory detail."
Ross Marquand, who plays Aaron, got to sample the exhibit before it opened.
"I did notice, a few times, my reflex was to kind of tense up and go for my knife, but there's no knife," he told the L.A. Daily News. "I loved it. It stayed true to what they actually have in the show, kind of going through season one all the way up to where we are now."
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Jefferies Group, a global investment firm, wondering if the network now is too reliant on "The Walking Dead."
And there are signs that the show has peaked and is beginning to slide after four years as the No. 1 show among 18 to 49 year olds.
"In our view, it will be important for AMC to develop new hit programming in 2016, especially considering that The Walking Dead franchise could be nearing its peak as ratings have slipped ~8% in Season 6 (Live +SD)," Jefferies analyst John Janedis wrote in a note. He placed the stock at a hold in April.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
In homage to "The Walking Dead," the Atlanta Braves has a thematic "zombie" night on July 15. There is no irony to this despite the fact many consider the last-place Braves the "walking dead" of Major League Baseball teams. The cheeky joke is the giveaway is a zombified bobblehead of A.J. Pierzinski, who is the ancient player on the team at 39 years of age.
If you want to dress up and be part of a pre-game parade, line up at the Hank Aaron ramp at 6:15 p.m. (near aisle 129).
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Norman Reedus' "The Ride" reality show on AMC is not drawing anything close to "Walking Dead" viewership (overnights now are in the 12 to 15 million range). The first episode drew 750,000 viewers, the second 470,000 and the third 630,000. Those are overnight viewers and does not reflect DVR or on-demand viewership.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Image Comics is releasing a back story for Negan, the new evil character who faces off against Rick Grimes' crew.
According to comicbook.com, his story is "frustrating and heartbreaking."
He was a high school gym teacher whose wife is suffering from cancer when the apocalypse begins. He discovers the chaos while in a hospital, which echoes the opening scenes of "The Walking Dead" when Rick wakes up from a coma.
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