SDCC 2014 – THE WALKING DEAD Season 5 Trailer And Panel Recap

Big stuff happening today at Comic Con for The Walking Dead fans. Not only was there a ton of great new information about season five at the Hall H panel, but there was an extremely intense trailer for the new season released. We’ll talk about the panel in a second, but first, just shut up and watch this trailer:

OK… that was a lot to take in. It looks like the gang is back together… well, except for Beth who seems to have found her way into some 1970’s women’s prison sexploitation film.

Now, on to the panel. As per usual, the majority of the cast and production team was at this year’s panel. to show off the first look at season 5 which hits the small screen on October 12th. Not surprisingly, The Talking Dead host, Chris Hardwick was moderating the panel.

Things started off with what seemed like a set up, but was still funny for the audience. When first asked whether the gang would ever get out of the train, Showrunner Gimple answered by showed a video clip from “Season 15” of the show, featuring Rick and Glen in the train, with long, grey beards, eating what was left of their friends. I’m betting that we’ll be able to either see this online soon, or as a dvd extra.

Gimple went on to talk about how this season will define the characters unlike any season before it, especially how they progress in humanity after having done some of the things they’ve had to do to survive. He also said that we will be seeing the story of Terminus.

Kirkman added that, thought Terminus isn’t something comic fans know, the show will return to the stories they are familiar with later in the season. In fact, he said that, as a whole the season will be pretty close to the comics.

Gale anne Hurd teased the audience by telling them all how happy the cast is that there will be several shooting locations that are free of “ticks, chiggers, and mosquitos”, and that those locations may be inspired by the comics. She went on to further tease that this season had a spectacular scope and we would be seeing bigger things than ever from characters and set pieces.

In regards to some of the Walkers that we’ll see, producer and FX legend, Greg Nicotero talked about the Water Zombie, a walker who was made up to look like that had been stuck in a flooded basement for a very long time. If you watch the trailer, we get a small peek at him and he is disgusting!

They wouldn’t give the details on EMily Kinney’s character, Beth, but they said that “she’s gotten a lot stronger since teaming up with Daryl last year. “She’s lived a little now, she’s not just an innocent teenager anymore… She’s taking a different strength into season five.” Check out the end of the trailer for a first glimpse of her situation.

When Andrew Lincoln was asked about how he prepares for his rage filled scenes, they screened some outtake footage that included him hitting things, yelling, and breaking wood just be for a set.

There were some fun little questions from fans, but nothing major. The one thing that was missing was any word of Negin, but that could just be something they are saving for later this season or the beginning of season 6.