First look at The Walking Dead’s alternate ending revealed
The Walking Dead nearly had a very different ending and we now have our first look at what it was going to be.
The Walking Dead ended its historic 12-year run over a week ago. It still doesn’t feel right typing those words because it felt like the show was destined to go on forever. But end it did, with a series finale that was all about new beginnings as much as it was about closure.
The finale divided fans because of how it spent its final act less concerned with wrapping up an 11-season story and more determined to set up its various spin-off shows. However, it was revealed after the episode aired that there was a different, more final ending shot for the show that ultimately wasn’t used.
Now, the first glimpse of it has been unearthed.
First look at The Walking Dead’s original ending
According to Insider, that alternate ending featured adult versions of the kids in The Walking Dead, with Judith, RJ, Coco, Gracie, and more in a van on the same Atlanta street that we saw Rick Grimes ride down in the pilot episode. RJ then said into a radio: “If you can hear me, answer back. This is Rick Grimes.” A survivor then replies: “…Hello?”.
Cinematographer Duane Charles Manwiller has been sharing some behind-the-scenes snapshots from the series finale on Instagram, and after teasing fans with an image of the van, he shared a complete shot of the cast of the scene together. You can see it below.
According to ComicBook.com, the cast for the alternate ending scene features GLOW‘s Britt Baron as Judith Grimes, Chicago Med‘s Roland Buck III as RJ/Rick Grimes Jr., Cobra Kai‘s Seoum Tylor Aun as Ezra, Walker‘s Sahara Ale as Socorro/Coco, and The Rookie‘s Tess Cline as Gracie.
This definitely would have been a more definitive ending for The Walking Dead, but it seems that the creative team didn’t want any of the upcoming spinoffs from TWD Universe to feel like they came before a scene from the show’s series finale.
What did you think of The Walking Dead series finale? Would you have preferred the deleted ending make it into the final cut of the episode? Let us know in the comments below!