Just four days after appearing at the show’s panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego, Frank Darabont has left his position of The Walking Dead showrunner, Deadline reports.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s leaving the show entirely, Deadline says: “talks are still ongoing” for Darabont to remain on the show in some capacity. The second season is currently in production.
Darabont directed the pilot episode of the series, and wrote the first two. Last December, news circulated that Darabont had fired the show’s writing staff, and was considering switching to an all-freelance model for the future, though that didn’t end up happening. This past Friday at Comic-Con, Darabont appeared at the show’s panel with fellow executive producers Gale Anne Hurd and Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead comic. This was Darabont’s first stint as a TV showrunner, as most of his experience is in the film world, directing movies including The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.
Last week, the premiere of The Walking Dead‘s 13-episode season was set for October 16 on AMC. Watch the trailer here.
July 26th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Nooooooooooooooooo!
Well, I’ll try to be hopeful that soon there will be news that turns my frown upside down.
July 26th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
I have a feeling that as good as this show is, it’s approaching the end. Why so little of this yet 5 seasons of Lost?
July 27th, 2011 at 12:10 am
That’s too bad. I guess the grind of television wore him down. As much as I like the Walking Dead, 13 episodes a season aren’t enough to slake my thirst.
I propose a Resident Evil (BioHazard) TV show that’s based on the chronology of the games, and to also wash away the stink of those non-canon movies? Alice!? Who the heck is Alice?!
July 27th, 2011 at 7:33 am
Excuse my ignorance but what exactly does the position of ‘showrunner’ entail?
Hopefully he will remain involved in some production and creative capacity. At least with two seasons now, the tone has been set and Kirkman is still there…I think the heavy lifting, getting this show to air, etc. has been done and now as long as they have the right people, it can survive w/o Darabont being so intimately involved…Maybe?
I would be surprised if AMC let this show “die” an early death…
July 27th, 2011 at 7:52 am
Eric Kripke was the showrunner for Supernatural for the first 5 seasons, and then then stepped down for season 6. I think its like a lead writer, the guy that drives the main overarcing plot forward, and does the most important episodes dealing with the arc. The other writers do the freak of the week things maybe.
Supernatural hasnt had a bad season yet, knock on wood, so the change in showrunners didnt seem to affect it on a show level.
July 27th, 2011 at 8:14 am
If you ever want an indepth look at the life of a show runner and what they do, this is an excellent book on it: http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Writers-22Doctor-Paperback/dp/184607861X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1311777229&sr=8-1
July 27th, 2011 at 9:02 am
Wynn, I agree, it’s an excellent read, but people should factor in that British TV doesn’t do the “writers’ room” approach that most American shows use. They generally have one Exec Producer who assigns scripts out to freelancers.
July 27th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
thisguy:
First of all, Lost was one of the most compelling genre shows of our time, and had very great writing, acting, everything you want in a good epic story. and it was 6 seasons. So you obviously havent really given it a fair shot.
July 28th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Frank Darabont is not a nice man to work for and it probably bit him in the you know what eventually
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