An all-out war is coming in "The Walking Dead" season 8, but Andrew Lincoln is not scared that it might cost a major character's life. In fact, he is even open to the AMC series killing off his character, Rick Grimes, who has been the lead protagonist since season 1.
While Rick and his survivor group successfully defeated Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in the comics, Lincoln suggests that a drastic departure from the source material could happen. In an interview with The Daily News, the actor said no one is safe in "The Walking Dead" season 8, not even Rick, and he does not think he should be. As he explained it, avoiding death numerous times, even as the show's lead character, is not an exciting prospect.
"There comes a point where there are too many gray hairs on your chin," he told the publication. "I think the audience deserves an end game. It's a lot of time to invest in a story without some kind of resolution."
He went on to say that he is willing to see Rick bite the dust in the future if it is for creative development: "If I was watching it I would want some answers, something, and if that means the demise of a central character or a principal character, then I'm willing to take the medicine."
In comic books, characters could survive as long as the story still runs; TV is a different story. Actors, no matter how physically and mentally committed they are, can get restless after a long stint. Lincoln has been on the show for eight seasons now, so this could be possible for him also. However, it remains to be seen if "Walking Dead" could survive without Rick.
In a previous interview, he said it is absolutely possible for the show to continue without him. Just like how "Once Upon A Time" passed the baton from Emma (Jennifer Morrison) to her son, Henry (Andrew J. West), "The Walking Dead" could also end up telling Carl's (Chandler Riggs) story next.
Showrunner Scott M. Gimple shares, however, that Rick's death is nothing to worry about anytime soon. "We've just scratched the surface of this world. We don't want to go on without Rick Grimes," he told Entertainment Weekly. But when that moment does come, he assured readers that the character will get a proper send-off.
"The Walking Dead" returns to AMC for season 8 on Sunday, Oct. 22.
