Maggie and Negan: Maggie Rhee and Negan are now leading The Walking Dead Universe. The shift comes as "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" heads toward its finale.
Norman Reedus has played Daryl since 2010. He first appeared in the third episode of the original AMC series.
Daryl was created for TV and never appeared in Robert Kirkman's comics.
The character grew into a fan favorite. By Season 5, he was effectively a co-lead.
When Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes left in Season 9, Daryl became the top star for the final three seasons.
He kept that role in the spinoff era. "Daryl Dixon" is widely seen as the strongest of the three newer series.
Reedus and Melissa McBride's Carol Peletier have served as the franchise's main faces since.
That is changing. Rick's return in "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live" was always meant to be temporary.
Lincoln had stepped away eight years earlier to spend more time in the U.K.
"Daryl Dixon" will end after its fourth season on AMC and AMC+. The final season was expected this September.
AMC delayed it to 2027, even though filming wrapped last year.
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" took that slot instead. Its third season put Maggie and Negan at the center of the franchise.
The last time they had that prominence was when the original series ended in 2022.
The first two seasons struggled. Many viewers felt the show was stuck in Maggie and Negan's past.
New showrunner Seth Hoffman reset the story in Season 3. He dropped storylines from earlier seasons and pushed the characters forward.
Critics and audiences responded well. Many consider it one of the best seasons of the newer spinoffs.
Maggie says she can never forgive Negan for killing Glenn. She also says she can move past it. The two team up to try to rebuild New York City.
The Season 3 finale leaves room for a fourth season. AMC has not yet announced a renewal.
Reedus is not leaving the franchise for good. He and AMC Studios President Dan McDermott have both said Daryl will return someday.
But the end of "Daryl Dixon" closes his run as the full-time lead.
For now, Maggie and Negan carry the franchise.
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