The cast and crew of The Walking Dead: Dead City hit up New York Comic Con on Friday to tease what to expect in Season 2 of the series. In advance of a panel showing off footage to the fans in attendance at the con, they hit up a small room of invited press for a press conference, including Comic Book Club.
In attendance at the press conference were Scott M. Gimple (The Walking Dead Universe Chief Content Officer), Jeffrey Dean Morgan(Negan, Executive Producer), Lauren Cohan (Maggie Rhee, Executive Producer), Gaius Charles (Perlie Armstrong), Željko Ivanek (The Croat), and Dascha Polanco (Major Lucia Narvaez).
Kicking things off, the panelists were asked about how they keep things fresh after so long.
“We have stories that make us reveal parts of the characters we haven’t seen before,” Cohan said. “If it’s emotionally resonant it’s fresh to me.”
Added Morgan, “It helps working with new actors as well. It’s not an established relationship that Maggie and Negan have.” Specifically Morgan called out Željko, who he said brings out “new parts” we haven’t seen before.
“I’m thinking how lucky we are… There’s so much that history can give,” Cohan said. “Knowing what the story is, or where we might [go]… We’re in the moment.”
“There’s a lot of stuff with Maggie and Negan, because of the last eight years, obviously there’s a relationship the audience knows about,” Morgan continued. “It’s about trying to find that new bit, and as this relationship continues, does it add more comfort, or add more strain?”
“We’ve known each other longer than anyone alive now,” said Cohan. Added Morgan, “Other than Daryl and Carol.”
Moving on to the change of shooting location, which has headed to Boston from New York City, Cohan noted, “It afforded us a lot more space.”
“It’s hard to lock down a street and make it look apocalyptic,” added Morgan. “In New York, no one gives a s**t.”
Said Gimple, “Don’t worry, there are moments where you’re going to want to throw up,” but noted that they got to shoot in some places that will really surprise viewers, in terms of “how did they get into that place?”
“They were very generous about where they let us show,” continued Morgan.
Asked about Maggie’s relationship with her son, Hershel, Cohan said, “That part of the storyline has been real, and complex and sad, but mostly because he is a teenage boy and it’s his responsibility to… Not do what’s best for himself. It’s going to be that push and pull between he and I.”
What about how playing the character has changed over the years? Said Morgan, “After the years I’ve had playing the character, it’s been all the ways we’ve played Negan… But it has been interesting to track him from coming out of the trailer, to this season… It’s been a real rollercoaster ride, and I think it comes to a head this year… Not that he’s done, but [we’ll see] some stuff that we’ve never seen Negan do. Some stuff that will shock you.”
One big change this season? Cohan directs an episode, something the entire cast agreed was fantastic.
“Lauren is incredibly hardworking,” Gimple said. “Lauren had all the ingredients. It is really cruel to be a director… Lauren loved every part of it.”
“I loved it,” agreed Cohan. “The hardest part was the action days when I was directing myself, and down-regulating to direct… The hat switch was when I felt it acutely. The easiest is if you do the prep, you’re on set… I had the best frickin’ time. It was the best time.”
“She gives good notes,” noted Morgan.
“And it’s a terrific episode,” said Gimple, jumping in. “First-time directors don’t generally turn in cuts like Lauren did… This was a great cut. People take years to get good at this. She’s got a head start.”
Wrapping things up, the cast discussed what keeps Negan and Maggie together — and if they were surprised they had stayed together so long.
“No, I would have never imagined it,” Cohan said. “That is something that has gotten to be revealed, which is a shared value system they both have… But to come to where we are in Season 2 of Dead City, and where we are at the end of Dead City… There’s a lot more to go.”
“At this point, after so many years together, though they would never admit it, there’s a respect and a weird trust,” Morgan said. “I think if Negan is in trouble, I think he thinks that Maggie may come through for it… Even in that hatred, there’s a lot of shared s**t, that they have a certain amount of respect for each other, and I don’t think they’ve ever voiced that.”
“There’s a forgiveness, and a recognition in each other,” said Cohan. “Connected.”
“Connected, yeah,” Morgan agreed. “I don’t know if they can be apart, as f**ked up as it is.”
The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 will premiere in 2025.
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