Norman Reedus ‘Walking Dead’ Spinoff Adds David Zabel As New Showrunner; Angela Kang To Remain As EP

EXCLUSIVE: Mere days after Melissa McBride exited The Walking Dead spinoff with Norman Reedus, more change has come to the AMC series.

Longtime ER showrunner David Zabel has joined the as-yet-untitled TWD spinoff as showrunner, AMC confirmed to Deadline exclusively. Zabel replaces current TWD showrunner Angela Kang, as the day-to-day boss on the now Reedus solo series that will be set in and shot in Europe. The spinoff is set to premiere in 2023.

Kang stepped aside to concentrate on other projects she has in development with AMC, we’re told. As TWD winds down its 11th and final season, Kang will serve as EP of the spinoff along with Scott M. Gimple, among others. WME-repped Zabel’s deal was sealed in recent weeks, before McBride’s exit was assured.

While scripts for the spinoff were pretty far down the line before McBride’s departure, a strategic pivot is taking place now to meet the start of shooting overseas in the next two or three months.

The spinoff, first announced in September 2020, follows earlier spinoffs that include Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, and the upcoming Tales of the Walking Dead set to premiere later this year. Also in the works is the Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan-starrer, Isle of the Dead, that’ll see the pair return as Negan and Maggie, respectively. The 6-episode series of the once vehement TWD foes is set in Manhattan and also is scheduled to premiere next year.

Zabel co-created the PBS series Mercy Street alongside Lisa Q. Wolfinger, which ran for two seasons. Other writing and producing credits include ER, Dark Angel, Star Trek: Voyager, Detroit 187, Red Band Society, and Lucky 7.

Along with being repped by UTA, Zabel works with law firm Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.