Robert Kirkman’s Casting Choices For AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ Adaptation

In fandom's current zombie-infused climate, one property that ceaselessly stalks through the geek zeitgeist is Robert Kirkman's "The Walking Dead" - especially now that it's been optioned for a television series on AMC.

That's why it was interesting to hear the writer discuss the project's current place in line for development, as well as Kirkman's...interesting casting choices during the Image Panel at this past weekend's Baltimore Comic-Con.

When asked about the current status of TWD in television, Kirkman laid the situation out in simple terms:"It's a three step process: [a studio will] decide they're going to option it, which gives them the legal right to decide whether or not they want to make the show, and then they shoot a pilot, which they may or may not do, and after they shoot a pilot they can decide whether or not it's going to go to air. And so far we've passed one of those hurdles. And so the show could be on air next year, or never."

As ominous as that sounds, the mood lightened after the fan followed up asking the writer if he'd considered any dream casting for the show. Unfortunately, "dream casting" can be a confusing term for a generation raised on SEGA consoles.

"Dreamcasting? The old SEGA thing?" Kirkman joked.

"I think that ['Married With Children's'] Ed O'Neill should play every character, I love that guy. If Milla Jovovich could play Rick I'd be all about that," said Kirkman to audience laughter, "It's really just who I'd like to meet really. I don't really know who would make a good character. I think Lance Henriksen would be good in any role because I think he's a cool dude. And Scarlett Johansson – I don't know."

Now that I've read that, it's possible that whoever is actually cast will only disappoint me.