The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon showrunner David Zabel has addressed the potential for crossovers with other zombie spinoffs in the Europe-based show's future. Daryl Dixon season 3 will be taking the series to Spain, continuing the adventures of Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) as they continue their quest to get back home. Despite the show's overseas setting, it's continually acknowledged its place in the wider Walking Dead universe, with mentions of characters like Judith (Cailey Fleming) and locations such as the Commonwealth. This firmly establishes the franchise's continued acknowledgement of its shared zombie universe.
Speaking with CinemaBlend (via Yahoo), Zabel said that, despite having "free rein" over what happens in Daryl Dixon, he doubts he'd be able to use characters that are featured in the existing spinoffs. The showrunner offers the example of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) suddenly showing up, firmly establishing that anything which would break the canon of other shows isn't going to happen. Check out what Zabel had to say below:
"I’ve had pretty free rein. I talk to [franchise chief creative officer Scott M. Gimple] all the time and he’s said, ‘You have free rein, at least for now. Keep doing what you’re doing.’ But at some point, I imagine some things might be determined by what other characters are doing and where they are. So, I don’t know if Negan’s going to get on a raft on the Hudson and wind up [in Europe]."
What David Zabel's Statement Means For Daryl Dixon Crossovers
The Spinoff Might Not Be How Everything Intersects
Zabel's statement highlights how, despite the storytelling freedom he has in the spinoff, there are some elements which remain off-limits because of other shows. For example, while Dead City's timeline indicates a years-long gap where other adventures with Negan could have happened, it would be confusing to have him appear in the Europe-based series. However, Daryl Dixon season 2 ended with Ash (Manish Dayal) flying Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) to the Commonwealth, the new goal of getting back home now hinting the location could show up by series' end.
Chief creative officer Scott Gimple has previously acknowledged the possibility of The Walking Dead's crossovers someday intersecting in a limited event series. Because of this, it doesn't seem like Daryl Dixon season 3, and, by extension, Dead City season 2, will be featuring characters from different spinoffs meeting one another. Instead, it sounds like Daryl won't be seeing his old allies until after his show ends, potentially reuniting with them at the Commonwealth. While this restricts his show somewhat, it doesn't rule out a potential larger crossover in the future.
Our Take On Daryl Dixon's Unlikely Crossovers
The Walking Dead Still Acknowledges Its Shared Universe
Even though Daryl is unlikely to reconnect with Negan or Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) during his spinoff, the show's new goal of reaching Laurent in the Commonwealth still addresses its shared universe. While it probably won't happen in Daryl Dixon itself, a larger crossover in The Walking Dead franchise appears inevitable, especially since Gimple is open to the possibility. With season 3 likely emphasizing how long their journey is going to take, perhaps the show can address expectations for when an intersection with the other series will happen.
