HBO Passed On Making The Walking Dead For A Surprising Reason – SlashFilm

In a December 2024 interview with Collider, Kirkman credited authentic “Walking Dead” showrunner Frank Darabont with getting the collection made in any respect. In keeping with Kirkman, Darabont had stumbled throughout the “Walking Dead” comedian on the Home of Secrets and techniques (a comic book retailer in Burbank, California) and thought the serialized drama was an ideal story to convey to TV. He wasn’t the one one. As “Walking Dead” producer Gale Ann Hurd recalled to Selection in 2016:

“What attracted me to [Robert Kirkman’s] comedian e-book collection is that it’s a story about characters on a journey into this new world, and continually attempting to determine not solely the best way to survive however what’s essential to them.”

However as passionate as Darabont and co. had been, they nonetheless had hassle convincing TV networks. Darabont introduced the collection to NBC as a result of he had a cope with the community on the time. Nevertheless, its issues with the fabric prolonged past the violence. One NBC government thought the “Walking Dead” comics needs to be tailored as a police procedural the place, apparently, Sheriff Rick Grimes and a accomplice would clear up zombie-associated crimes each week. One other requested: “Do there need to be zombies?”

Regardless of their reservations concerning the violence, HBO was apparently extra . Kirkman claimed to Collider that there was a “bidding battle” between AMC and HBO for “The Walking Dead” ultimately. (Everyone knows who received that.) Here is how Kirkman put it:

“AMC and HBO sort of bought into a contest of, ‘We’ll give Robert this.’ ‘No, we’ll give Robert this.’ ‘No, we’ll give Robert this.’ ‘No, we’ll give Robert this,’ and we simply saved going, ‘Effectively, HBO gave us this,’ after which AMC would go, ‘All proper.’ After which to HBO, we would be like, ‘AMC gave us this,’ and HBO’d go, ‘All proper.'”

Nevertheless, HBO nonetheless impacted “The Walking Dead” not directly. Darabont’s preliminary option to play Rick was not Andrew Lincoln, however Thomas Jane. (Darabont had labored with Jane on “The Mist.”) However Jane needed to go as a result of he’d already signed on because the lead in “Hung,” an HBO-produced comedy collection a few center-aged highschool trainer who turns into a intercourse employee. (It lasted three seasons.)

If HBO had received the “Walking Dead” bidding battle, one massive distinction that involves my thoughts is the dialogue. HBO, ungoverned by FCC guidelines for public broadcasting, can let its characters swear up a storm with the seven soiled phrases. Meaning Negan would’ve been in a position to curse like he does within the comedian. AMC let “The Walking Dead” get away with extremely-violence, however as a broadcast community, its fingers had been tied with the swearing.