Walking Dead exec producers Kirkman, Glen Mazzara, Gale Anne Hurd and Greg Nicotero told The Hollywood Reporter in January that there will be more death to come when the series returned for the second half of its sophomore year Feb. His sudden departure took many, including Bernthal, by surprise, with speculation that one cast member wanted out of his or her contract. Noir, which TNT picked up to pilot in January, Bernthal would play Joe Teague, the LAPD cop at the heart of the series that revolves around the police force’s pursuit of mobster Mickey Cohen.ĭarabont, who was instrumental in adapting the zombie drama from the comics, was ousted and replaced as showrunner in July, just days after representing the series at San Diego Comic-Con.

Shane’s death would not come as a big surprise to readers of Kirman’s Image/Skybound comic series, as the character died early in the series. “In the case of Jon Bernthal, who’s to say he survives that first pilot? Maybe he dies in the first episode.” “I wouldn’t let any casting rumors make you think that it’s spoiled any show, especially this one,” he told THR. Kirkman downplayed the Bernthal rumors in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in early February, noting that it wasn’t uncommon for actors to appear on the AMC series as well as other projects because of the show’s summer shooting schedule. Rumors have swirled that Shane wouldn’t live to see Season 3 of the zombie drama based on the comics created by Robert Kirkman since reports surfaced in January that Bernthal was circling former Walking Dead showrunner Frank Darabont‘s TNT pilot, L.A.

Dead not big surprise