The Walking Dead: Dead City

The Walking Dead: Dead City is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by Eli Jorné for AMC, based on The Walking Dead characters Maggie and Negan. It is the first sequel to The Walking Dead television series, and the fifth series in The Walking Dead franchise, sharing continuity with the other television series. Jorné serves as showrunner.

The Walking Dead: Dead City
Genre	Horror Drama Zombie apocalypse
Created by	Eli Jorné
Based on	The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman Tony Moore Charlie Adlard
Starring	Lauren Cohan Jeffrey Dean Morgan Gaius Charles Željko Ivanek Mahina Napoleon Lisa Emery Logan Kim Dascha Polanco Keir Gilchrist
Composer	Ian Hultquist
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	14
Production
Executive producers	Scott M. Gimple Robert Kirkman David Alpert Gale Anne Hurd Brian Bockrath Lauren Cohan Jeffrey Dean Morgan Eli Jorné Colin Walsh Michael E. Satrazemis
Production location	New Jersey
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	40–50 minutes
Production companies	Skybound Entertainment Valhalla Entertainment Circle of Confusion Schneibot AMC Studios
Original release
Network	AMC
Release	June 18, 2023 (2023-06-18) – present
Related
The Walking Dead

Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprise their roles as Maggie and Negan from the original television series, with Gaius Charles, Željko Ivanek, Mahina Napoleon, Lisa Emery, Logan Kim, Dascha Polanco, and Keir Gilchrist also starring. Development of the series began in March 2022, with its title revealed that month and renamed in August. Additional castings were announced in October and November 2022. Principal photography began in July 2022 in New Jersey and concluded in October 2022.

The first season premiered on June 18, 2023, and consists of six episodes. In July 2023, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on May 4, 2025. In July 2025, the series was renewed for a third season.

Premise

The series follows Maggie and Negan traveling into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan cut off from the mainland in search of Maggie's kidnapped son, Hershel. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of chaos, danger, beauty, and terror.

Cast and characters

Main

• Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene: Glenn's widow and formerly a part of Rick Grimes' group on The Walking Dead. She is also the leader of the Bricks, a community of survivors that relocated to New York from Virginia, where it was known as the Hilltop Colony.^[1]
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan: The reformed former leader of the Saviors who left the Commonwealth with his pregnant wife to build a life together at the end of The Walking Dead.^[1]
• Gaius Charles as Perlie Armstrong: A marshal for the New Babylon Federation, a network of survivor communities in New York, who is tasked with hunting down Negan.^[1]
• Željko Ivanek as Mile Jurkovic / "The Croat": Originally from Croatia, hence his name, the Croat is a sadistic former member of the Saviors who has kidnapped Maggie's son, Hershel. He is also the leader of the Burazi (Brothers), a group of hostile survivors who have taken control of Manhattan.^[2]
• Mahina Napoleon as Ginny (seasons 1–2): A young girl under Negan's care who is selectively mute following the traumatic death of her father. It's later revealed that her father is one of the men that Negan is wanted for killing.^[2]
• Lisa Emery as "The Dama" (season 2–present; guest season 1): The Croat's mysterious ally.^[3][4]
• Logan Kim as Hershel Rhee (season 2–present; recurring season 1): Maggie and Glenn's teenage son. Kim replaces actor Kien Michael Spiller who previously portrayed Hershel on The Walking Dead.^[5][4]
• Dascha Polanco as Lucia Narvaez (season 2): A high-ranking marshal for New Babylon who takes part in their mission to control Manhattan.^[6][4]
• Keir Gilchrist as Benjamin Pierce (season 2–present): New Babylon's historian who documents the rebuilding of society and is fascinated by New York City.^[6]

Recurring

• Jonathan Higginbotham as Tommaso (season 1): The co-leader of the Tribespeople, a nomadic group of survivors based in Manhattan who are being hunted by the Burazi.^[2]
• Karina Ortiz as Amaia (season 1): The co-leader of the Tribespeople and Tommaso's girlfriend.^[7]
• Kim Coates as Bruegel (season 2): The leader of the Silk Stockings, the fiercest gang in Manhattan.^[8]
• Pooya Mohseni as Roksana (season 2): The leader of the Foragers, a group of survivors who live isolated in Central Park.^[6]

Guest

• Trey Santiago-Hudson as Jano (season 1): A deputy marshal for New Babylon who assists Perlie in hunting down Negan.^[9]
• Michelle Hurd as Jones (season 1): The owner of the Easy Stay Motor Inn, who hides Negan from the New Babylon marshals.^[10]
• Michael Anthony as Luther (season 1): A physically imposing member of the Tribespeople who is distrustful of Maggie and Negan.^[11]
• Steven Ogg as Simon (season 1): The former second-in-command of the Saviors who appears in a flashback scene. Ogg reprises his role from The Walking Dead.^[12]
• Jasmin Walker as Charlie Byrd / "The Prefect" (seasons 1–2): The governor of the New Babylon Federation and Perlie's superior.
• Jake Weary as Christos (season 2): The leader of the Blood Shirts, a gang in Manhattan that uses walker bones as weapons and armor.^[6]
• Logan Schmucker as Victor (season 2): A gentle-natured violinist and reluctant member of the Burazi who develops a friendship with Negan.
• Anthony Molinari as Houseman (season 2): A high-ranking marshal for New Babylon.^[13]
• Tom Ukah as Waylen (season 2): A Burazi enforcer who is partnered with Negan.
• Medina Senghore as Annie (season 2): Negan's second wife and mother of his son Joshua, whom he sent away to protect them. Senghore reprises her role from The Walking Dead.
• Hilarie Burton as Lucille (season 2): Negan's deceased first wife who appears to him as a hallucination. Burton reprises her role from The Walking Dead.

Episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	6		June 18, 2023 (2023-06-18)	July 23, 2023 (2023-07-23)
2	8		May 4, 2025 (2025-05-04)	June 22, 2025 (2025-06-22)

Season 1 (2023)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Old Acquaintances"	Loren Yaconelli	Eli Jorné	June 18, 2023 (2023-06-18)	0.704[14]
Following an attack on the new Hilltop, now called the Bricks, Maggie's son Hershel is kidnapped by the Croat, a former Savior living in Manhattan. Desperate to save Hershel, Maggie reluctantly tracks down Negan who is on the run from New Babylon marshals led by Perlie Armstrong after murdering five people for help. In exchange for Maggie giving his young companion Ginny a home at the Bricks, Negan agrees to help her with the two taking young marshal Jano hostage and Maggie having to deal with her hatred of Negan for his having murdered Glenn years ago. In Manhattan, the trio encounters walkers falling from the buildings and a cat-and-mouse game with Perlie who accidentally kills Jano while chasing after them. Elsewhere, the Croat questions Hershel for information on Negan and sends an escaped prisoner to his death after the man refuses to answer questions about his group.
2	2	"Who's There?"	Loren Yaconelli	Eli Jorné	June 25, 2023 (2023-06-25)	0.706[15]
An old woman named Esther helps Maggie and Negan escape from a herd and leads them to her tribe of survivors who are hunted by the Croat and his people, the Burazi. Negan reveals that the Croat was one of the first Saviors, serving as an interrogator for Negan until he went too far with a young survivor, causing Negan to try to kill him. However, Negan only succeeded in blowing off the Croat's right ear and he escaped. The tribe comes under attack from the Burazi, killing several people, including Esther, before they manage to escape. In retaliation, Negan brutally kills one of the Burazi as an example to the rest, something that is witnessed by Maggie. After Maggie reveals their true mission to them, the tribe reveals that they can help her get to the Croat. Elsewhere, Ginny struggles to adapt to life at the Bricks, eventually stealing a motorcycle and running away. Perlie visits his brother Joel's apartment, only to find Joel dead of suicide. Falling into a trap outside, Perlie is captured by the Croat.
3	3	"People Are a Resource"	Kevin Dowling	Keith Staskiewicz	July 2, 2023 (2023-07-02)	0.681[16]
In flashbacks, Negan and Ginny search for her missing toy. In the present, Ginny makes her way to Manhattan. The Croat holds Perlie prisoner in Madison Square Garden where he tests the marshal fight against walkers and questions his motives. Perlie reveals he's in Manhattan hunting for Negan, much to the Croat's shock who in turn reveals he had lost his family to cannibals near the start of the apocalypse. The tribespeople tell Maggie and Negan about the Burazi's operation which they recognize as a twisted version of the Saviors. Using the story of Negan's defeat by the Militia, Negan and Maggie inspire the tribespeople to help them. Tommaso reveals he had managed to escape the Croat using the old framework of Penn Station and the subway system which they can use to get in. Maggie opens up to Negan about the loss of Hershel and her family and Negan in turn reveals that he had sent Annie and his son Joshua to safety in Missouri after killing five men who had robbed, beaten and raped Annie, which is why he's a wanted man. Luther discovers Negan's wanted poster, leading to a fight in which Negan kills Luther. After finding Ginny's toy, Maggie contemplates burning it, secretly observed by Ginny.
4	4	"Everybody Wins a Prize"	Kevin Dowling	Eli Jorné	July 9, 2023 (2023-07-09)	0.697[16]
In a flashback, Negan and Simon confront the Croat over his brutal murder of a young girl. In the present, Maggie and Negan lead an attack on Madison Square Garden to rescue Hershel and kill the Croat. However, the Croat anticipates their actions, and he lays a trap, evacuating his people from the arena while letting in walkers and using the sound and light systems to lead them to the tribespeople. Overwhelmed and outnumbered, most of the tribespeople are killed with only Maggie, Amaia, Tommaso, and Ginny managing to escape into the sewers. Negan confronts the Croat who joyfully greets him and tries to get Negan to join him, attempting to kill Perlie as a sign of good faith. Much to the Croat's shock, Negan saves the marshal's life and escapes with him. However, Perlie holds Negan at gunpoint, threatening him with summary execution for his crimes despite Negan having just saved his life.
5	5	"Stories We Tell Ourselves"	Gandja Monteiro	Brenna Kouf	July 16, 2023 (2023-07-16)	0.701[16]
In flashbacks, Ginny discovers that Maggie is lying about the Bricks' grain being stolen while the Croat kidnaps Hershel and demands Negan in exchange for his return. In the present, the Croat visits the Dama who reiterates their need for Negan to protect their future. As they make their way through Manhattan, Negan and Perlie get to know each other with Negan revealing the reason for his murders. His beliefs shaken by the recent events, Perlie opens up to Negan about his brother Joel and Perlie's growing doubts about what he's doing. Maggie, who is revealed to have kept Ginny's toy rather than burning it, deduces that Tommaso had sold the tribe out, resulting in the attack on their hideout and the ambush at Madison Square Garden. Tommaso admits that he had made a deal with the Croat who had promised Tommaso a boat and a chance at a better life for his family on the mainland, horrifying Amaia, although Maggie is more sympathetic. In the sewers, Amaia and Tommaso fall victim to walkers, but Maggie and Ginny manage to escape after Maggie successfully fights a massive fused together walker. On the surface, Ginny fires a flare into the air which is spotted by Negan.
6	6	"Doma Smo"[a]	Gandja Monteiro	Eli Jorné	July 23, 2023 (2023-07-23)	0.618[16]
Negan follows the flare and looks for Maggie, and to his surprise, he runs into Ginny. Maggie also appears as the walkers approach. Negan wants Ginny to leave, and Perlie offers to take her away. Ginny doesn't want to go, so Negan tells her the truth about killing her father and taking care of her because she was his debt. Ginny and Perlie leave, and Negan and Maggie go find the Croat. Negan then realizes that Maggie has been lying to him and has been leading him on the wrong path all along. She didn't want his help in saving Hershel, she just wanted to trade him for him, which is what happens in the end. Perlie takes Ginny to the Bricks and returns to New Babylon, where his boss wants to know everything about how they make methane fuel in New York. Maggie and Hershel return, but their relationship is still strained, and Maggie realizes that she may have been wrong. The Croat takes Negan to the Dama, who wants him to be their new leader, under whom they will unite New York and begin conquering more territory.

Season 2 (2025)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	U.S. viewers (millions)
7	1	"Power Equals Power"	Michael E. Satrazemis	Eli Jorné	May 4, 2025 (2025-05-04)	0.378[17]
A year has passed since Maggie returned from New York. The Bricks has been forced to join the New Babylon Federation while Maggie has been trying to move on with her life with Hershel and Ginny. The newly promoted Colonel Perlie Armstrong and the Governor of New Babylon, Charlie Byrd, arrive at the Bricks, seeking to conscript the residents for an "expeditionary mission" to Manhattan to retake the city, hanging a man who tried to flee. Privately, Perlie admits that New Babylon's ethanol supply has been compromised by a moth infestation, and they are preparing an invasion to get the Burazi's methane. Maggie makes a deal where she volunteers to go in exchange for everyone else being left alone. Joined by Ginny, Maggie proves herself against a herd of walkers, but this causes friction with Hershel who accuses his mother of going back for Negan while dodging her questions about the Dama. In Manhattan, Negan refuses the Dama's attempts to get him to help, causing her to intimidate Negan by arranging for his wife Annie and son Joshua to arrive in the city, which will give her leverage over Negan. Negan finally agrees to help and is given a new upgraded version of Lucille. Negan gives a speech to the three rival gangs ruling Uptown Manhattan, attempting to unite them against the coming invasion.
8	2	"Another Shitty Lesson"	Michael E. Satrazemis	Zoe Vitale	May 11, 2025 (2025-05-11)	0.278[18]
As the New Babylon forces prepare to set sail for Manhattan, Maggie discovers that a spy amongst their ranks has alerted the Croat to their impending arrival. Having followed his mother, Hershel joins the mission. However, the New Babylon leadership refuses to listen to Maggie who is locked up for insubordination along with Hershel. As they cross the Hudson River in a ferry, New Babylon encounters a minefield and are attacked by the Burazi with walker bombs. Ginny frees Maggie and Hershel who flee in a raft with Perlie and a few others as the ferry is destroyed, killing most of the New Babylon forces, including Governor Byrd and General Houseman. Spotting Hershel, Negan allows the survivors to escape for which the Dama murders his friend Victor while also capturing New Babylon historian Benjamin Pierce. On shore, Maggie realizes that Hershel was the one who had betrayed them to the Croat while Ginny secretly steals Major Lucia Narvaez's gun. Hunted by the Burazi, the New Babylon survivors head into Central Park.
9	3	"Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?"	Edward Ornelas	Brenna Kouf	May 18, 2025 (2025-05-18)	0.255[19]
In flashbacks, Hershel is visited by the Dama during his imprisonment who provides the boy with lavish amenities and entices him into her vision of the world. In the present, the surviving New Babylonians fall victim to a herd in Central Park, resulting in several deaths and Hershel getting separated from the others. The group meets the Foragers, a tribe of survivors led by Roksana who are living in the Loeb Boathouse. Lucia argues with Perlie about her desire to incorporate the Foragers into their forces, forcing Perlie to have to assert his authority over her. Hershel and a Forager named Joan are attacked by Waylen, a Burazi who mortally wounds Joan before Negan kills him to protect Hershel. Hershel explains to his mother his different view of Manhattan and what the city can be while Negan lies to the Croat about what happened and tries to undermine the Dama's hold over him. In turn, the Croat reveals that when he crashed on the island after fleeing the Sanctuary, the Dama gave him purpose again.
10	4	"Feisty Friendly"	Edward Ornelas	Keith Staskiewicz	May 25, 2025 (2025-05-25)	0.346[20]
Maggie, Perlie and Hershel scout out the Burazi in search of the methane and the two adults bond over the struggles of parenting. Discovering her stolen gun in Ginny's possession, Narvaez opens up to the girl about how, after losing her family, Governor Byrd gave Narvaez a new purpose. Narvaez allows Ginny to keep the gun, learning that the girl intends to get revenge on her father's killer, Negan, who was supposedly killed by Perlie. The Burazi, accompanied by Pierce, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to negotiate with Bruegel to join their alliance. Pierce recognizes the Dama as a famous theater critic while Negan encounters Maggie who gets him to reveal that the methane is at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Negan warns Maggie about Hershel's betrayal while Hershel encounters the Dama; neither one reveals the meeting to their respective groups. Negan challenges Bruegel to a walker gladiator fight and discovers that Bruegel's Frankenstein champion is actually the gang leader's former bodyguard Tony who is pretending to be a walker. This forces Bruegel to join the alliance, but he kills Tony and begins plotting how to take control of the methane for himself.
11	5	"The Bird Always Knows"	Edward Ornelas	Sarah Nolen	June 1, 2025 (2025-06-01)	0.339[21]
After discovering that Negan is still alive from Ginny, Narvaez mutinies, imprisons Perlie and Roksana and sends Maggie to lure Negan into a trap. When Maggie tries to kill Narvaez, Ginny betrays her and forces Maggie to surrender. Narvaez holds an execution, hanging Roksana for refusing to join New Babylon's cause and nearly killing Maggie, but the commotion draws a massive herd who devour all of the Foragers and surviving New Babylonians. Maggie is rescued by Ginny while Narvaez falls victim to a zombified Roksana. A remorseful Hershel confesses to his betrayal while Ginny hides a large wound on her back. Bruegel and his gang dispatch the walkers, seeking Maggie and Perlie's help. Negan attempts to recruit Christos into the alliance, discovering that he is only trying to protect other survivors rather than being a power-hungry warlord. After an act of sabotage seemingly committed by Christos' gang, the Burazi massacre all of the men to Negan and the Dama's fury. Negan sows division between the Croat and the Dama culminating in Negan killing the Dama's pet rat. Negan's successful efforts result in a violent argument and the Croat abandoning the Dama to die in a fire accidentally started during the altercation.
12	6	"Bridge Partners Are Hard to Come by These Days"	Lauren Cohan	Eli Jorné	June 8, 2025 (2025-06-08)	0.291[22]
After realizing that Negan had set him up, the Croat attacks him, but Negan defeats his former friend and exiles him, taking control of the Burazi. Bruegel proposes an alliance between himself and New Babylon to take control of the methane from the Burazi; Perlie considers the offer despite Maggie's misgivings. Bruegel later reveals to Perlie that he had found a still barely alive Narvaez who had filled him in on the details before she died. Having been brainwashed by the Dama, Hershel attempts to poison the gang's water supply and argues with Maggie over her interest in keeping Negan alive. The two are attacked by a grizzly bear that had been living in Central Park and manage to kill it, but Hershel vanishes afterwards. Searching for her son, Maggie reunites with Negan who points her to the King Francis Theater. Negan's family finally arrives in Manhattan, but he decides to send them away for their own safety. Ginny attempts to kill Negan, but collapses from her wound which has become infected.
13	7	"Novi Dan, Novi Početak"[b]	Michael E. Satrazemis	Eli Jorné	June 15, 2025 (2025-06-15)	0.350[23]
Negan tends to Ginny with the help of Benjamin Pierce. Learning of rumors of hidden antibiotics at the overrun Bellevue Hospital, Negan searches without success. In the process, Negan hits his head and hallucinates Lucille, Annie and Joshua, expressing his regrets at failing his family. Negan hooks Ginny up to a ventilator in the hopes of enabling her recovery and declares that he will show no mercy to his enemies, having learned from his previous mistakes. At the theater, Maggie finds the Croat who helps her to search for Hershel. After a harrowing journey and a near-death experience, the Croat opens up to Maggie about his own painful past and the two make peace with each other. Maggie eventually finds her son at the New York Times Building where he betrays her to the Dama who is revealed to be still alive, and she captures Maggie.
14	8	"If History Were a Conflagration"	Michael E. Satrazemis	Eli Jorné	June 22, 2025 (2025-06-22)	0.376[24]
The Dama and Hershel convince Maggie to finally kill Negan in order to finally move on; the Dama reveals that she had faked her death in the fire using a walker corpse. Joined by a reluctant Perlie, Bruegel's gang attempts to ambush the Burazi, only to fall into a cleverly laid trap by Negan. Everyone aside from Bruegel and Perlie are killed by the Burazi and a herd unleashed by Negan. Negan captures the pair and brutally executes Bruegel after playing a game of eeny, meeny, miny, moe similar to the one that Negan played before killing Abraham and Glenn.[c] Maggie stabs Negan to save Perlie, but is stopped from finishing the job with Lucille by the discovery that Ginny has died of her infection and reanimated. A devastated Negan puts the girl down while Maggie finally accepts that she needs to let go of her revenge and move forward. In the aftermath, Hershel remains with the Dama to continue her plans while a second wave of New Babylon forces arrives and is led to the methane by Benjamin Pierce. Maggie, Negan and Perlie vow to build a better future, recognizing that the only way forward is together.

Production

Development

In March 2022, AMC reported that they were developing a fourth spin-off of The Walking Dead titled Isle of the Dead revolving around Maggie and Negan with Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprising their respective roles from the original series and Eli Jorné, a writer and co-executive producer on The Walking Dead, attached as showrunner alongside Cohan and Morgan as executive producers.^[25] In late August, the series title was renamed to The Walking Dead: Dead City.^[26] In July 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.^[27] In July 2025, the series was renewed for a third season, with Seth Hoffman taking over as showrunner. Hoffman was a writer and co-executive producer on The Walking Dead during its fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons.^[28]

Casting

In April 2022, Gaius Charles was cast as Perlie Armstrong.^[1] In July, Željko Ivanek, Jonathan Higginbotham, and Mahina Napoleon were cast as "The Croat", Tommaso, and Ginny respectively.^[2]

In April 2024, Kim Coates was announced to have joined the cast for the second season.^[8] In July, Keir Gilchrist, Dascha Polanco, Jake Weary, and Pooya Mohseni were announced to have joined the cast.^[6] In February 2025, the main cast for the second season was confirmed.^[4]

Filming

Principal photography for the first season began on July 19 in New Jersey and wrapped on October 24, 2022.^[29][30] Locations include the Meadowlands Arena, Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve, Port Newark, National Newark Building, Newark Symphony Hall, Hoboken Terminal, Liberty State Park and Shades of Death Road.^[31]

Filming for the second season began by April 8, 2024 in Taunton, Massachusetts.^[32] Michael E. Satrazemis, who previously directed episodes of The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live would be directing, with Adam Suschitzky serving as cinematographer.^[33] Filming had wrapped by July 15, 2024, in Massachusetts.^[34] Co-star and executive producer Lauren Cohan directed episode 6, although she was erroneously said to also direct episode 4.^[35]

Filming for the third season is set to begin in late 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.^[28]

Marketing

In November 2022, an early look on the behind the scenes of the series was released by AMC.^[36]

Release

The Walking Dead: Dead City premiered on AMC on June 18, 2023.^[37][38] The series premiered early on AMC+ on June 15, with subsequent episodes available three days before their broadcast premieres.^[39] The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 12, 2023.^[40]

The second season premiered on May 4, 2025.^[41]

Reception

For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 80% approval rating with an average rating of 7.15/10, based on 57 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "While Dead City still creaks under the constraints of being an umpteenth spinoff, it ultimately shakes off the franchise's rigor mortis thanks to a change of scenery and a focus on two fan favorites."^[42] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 58 out of 100 based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[43]

For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported an 63% approval rating based on 8 critic reviews.^[44]

Notes

1. Croatian for "We Are Home"
2. Croatian for "New Day, New Beginning"
3. As depicted in The Walking Dead episode "Last Day on Earth" (2016).