'The Walking Dead' Is Getting a New Showrunner

AMC's 'The Walking Dead' new showrunner Angela Kang will hopefully boost the show's fallen ratings.

walking dead
Getty

Image via Getty/Jamie McCarthy

walking dead

AMC has announced that The Walking Dead will be renewed for a ninth season, and with that comes another bit of news—the zombie apocalypse-themed show will be getting a new showrunner and executive producer, Angela Kang. Kang started out as a story editor and writer on the show in 2011, and has since risen through the ranks to the role of producer during season three, and then co-executive producer in 2013. She has previously written a handful of episodes, and will begin her new post during the outset of the ninth season.

“I am beyond thrilled to be stepping into this new role with The Walking Dead, Kang said. “Working on this series and having the opportunity to adapt Robert Kirkman’s amazing comic has been a fangirl dream come true for me."

And AMC's version of The Walking Dead is certainly an adaptation. (Spoiler alert: stop reading if you don't want to know who it is.)

The impending death of a major character was teased at the end of season six, which deviates from Kirkman's original storyline. The main character Rick's son, Carl gets bitten during the last mid-season finale "How It's Gotta Be." 

Though The Walking Dead prevails as the number one TV show for adults 18-49, it's still fallen off. The shift in executive roles follows a major decline in ratings during seasons seven and eight.​ According to Variety, the season 8 closer had the lowest ratings among finales since season 2 of the show back in 2011. 

While Kang takes over The Walking Dead, former series showrunner Scott Gimple will become the chief content officer, and will manage The Walking Dead, its spinoff Fear the Walking Dead, as well as any other of the brand's offshoots.

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