The “Tales of the Walking Dead” anthology series at AMC has added its first five cast members.
Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Poppy Liu (“Hacks”), Parker Posey (“Lost in Space”), Anthony Edwards (“Inventing Anna”), and Jillian Bell (“Rough Night”) have all joined the episodic anthology, which will consist of six standalone stories featuring both new and established characters from “The Walking Dead” universe. Details on the characters the five will play are being kept under wraps.
“We’ve worked hard to create unique, interesting and unexpected characters for both old and new TWD fans, and I’m thrilled that these are the actors who will bring them to life. I can’t wait for you to see the depth, drama, terror and, yes, humor they bring to the screen,” said series showrunner Channing Powell.
In addition, Haifaa al-Mansour, Deborah Kampmeier, and Tara Nicole Weyr will each direct an episode of the series. Series producer Michael Satrazemis will direct the other three episodes. Powell serves as showrunner and executive producer on the series, with “Walking Dead” chief content officer Scott M. Gimple also executive producing.
Popular on Variety
“Anthony, Jillian, Terry, Parker, and Poppy are the first wave of singular talents who will further expand the ‘Walking Dead’ Universe into harrowing, hilarious, heartfelt, and horrifying new realms and we couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the family, along with these terrific directors. More announcements, more wonderful folks to come,” said Gimple.
Edwards is repped by Gersh and Lovett management. Posey repped by Gersh. Crews is repped UTA, 3 Arts, Viewpoint, and Morris Yorn. Liu is repped by Buchwald, Framework Entertainment and Schreck Rose. Bell is repped by 3 Arts, UTA and Chad Christopher.
“Tales of the Walking Dead” is slated to debut this summer on AMC and AMC Plus. The show was first announced as being in development in September 2020 and ordered to series in October 2021. In an interview with Variety in 2020, then-AMC COO Ed Carroll said that “Tales” would serve as a “test kitchen” of sorts, meaning that if a particular episode is well received, it could lead to another spinoff.
The casting news comes as the mothership series, “The Walking Dead,” is preparing to launch the second half of its final season. on Feb. 20 on AMC, though episodes will be available one week early on AMC Plus.
