Here’s why The Walking Dead will never do a Game of Thrones and overtake its source material

If you’re a dual The Walking Dead comic book/TV show fan you’ve probably had one eye on just how quickly the show is speeding through certain storylines. Have no fear though, the showrunners have no intention of ever pulling a Game of Thrones and catching up to its source material – and here’s why.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter (h/t Collider), the creative team behind AMC’s zombie hit made no bones about the show overtaking the comic books, as showrunner Scott Gimple says, "I don't know if anyone sat down to do the math, but if the show is gaining on the comic book, it's at a very slow pace," 

Gimple also adds, "We're expanding storylines so every now and then we zip through the comic book, and then we slow down for a while and add a bunch of stuff that's not in the comics. There's not any danger of [overtaking the comic series] happening in any way."

Executive Producer David Alpert even has a (tongue-in-cheek) timeframe for when the show is poised to catch up to the comics: "When we get to season 20, then I think we'll be caught up."

At least, I hope he’s joking…

Image: AMC

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Latest in Action Shows
Reacher
Reacher star is rooting for Alan Ritchson to be the next Batman in the DCU: "I think he would be the best Batman we've ever had"
Daredevil: Born Again
A new look at Matt Murdock suiting up in Daredevil: Born Again has Marvel fans saying the same thing
Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon in Agatha All Along
A quickly killed off Agatha All Along star thought she'd be a witch: "I get there and no one is really looking me in the eye"
Peacemaker
Peacemaker season 2 star says the show feels like the DCU's "cool kid" as it's one of James Gunn's "first babies": "I'm excited to see how that expands and grows"
Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again fan compiles all the teasers the show hasn't used yet, and it seems Wilson Fisk's scariest scene is still to come
Bullseye in Daredevil: Born Again trailer
Daredevil: Born Again fans have a Bullseye and Punisher theory after Frank Castle's appearance in the latest episode
Latest in News
Razer Freyja back cushions
Dune: Awakening will launch with full Razer Sensa HD haptics
Seth Rogen in The Studio
New Apple TV show with 97% on Rotten Tomatoes teases all its cameos, including Martin Scorsese and Zac Efron
Giovanni and Mewtwo from Pokemon Destined Rivals
Team Rocket is blasting off again in new Pokemon TCG expansion, Destined Rivals
Animal Well screenshot, captured on PC
After his excellent debut Metroidvania took 7 years, Animal Well's solo dev says his next game shouldn't "take nearly as long"
Screenshots from Tekken: The Board Game teaser trailer
I hope your affairs are in order, because Bandai Namco just dropped Tekken: The Board Game
Tekken 8
Tekken lead Katsuhiro Harada says he's spent decades "mentally preparing" for AI to overtake humans, but it's not happening: "If AI had really advanced, we wouldn't be pouring 10, 20, 30 billion Yen into making games"