Why did Andrew Lincoln return to The Walking Dead universe in The Ones Who Live spinoff?

Actor Andrew Lincoln portrayed Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead series beginning in the pilot episode. Viewers watched as Rick emerged from a coma to a world that had been overrun by the rising of the dead. His fight for survival began immediately when he began to search for his family. Lincoln departed the series in its ninth season and five years later, he returned to TWDU in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

The loss of Rick from the storyline was a significant blow to fans of the series. Rick was the leader of the group who over time encountered tragic losses and helped create a fierce group of survivors. When Lincoln announced that he would be leaving the series to spend time with his family, the blow was softened with the promise of a trilogy of films featuring Rick Grimes.

Over time, the idea of the films transitioned into a spinoff series, The Ones Who Live, featuring the return of Rick and his love interest and eventual wife, Michonne, played by Danai Gurira. Both actors also served as executive producers for the series.

In an interview with Radio Times, Lincoln was asked why he returned so many years after Rick's story ended in the main series. Ultimately, he returned because Rick and Michonne's story wasn't finished. In season 9, Rick is thought to have died, but when Michonne discovers evidence that he survived, she goes in search of him. This is a story that fans wanted and possibly needed to see.

"Because people would stop me in the street and go, 'Where’s Rick?' There was an unfinished story. And I was talked into it by Danai [Gurira, who plays Grimes’s love interest, Michonne] and Scott [M Gimple, one of the series showrunners]. But I didn’t want it to feel like a spin-off. I wanted to complete a story that we left unfinished. It was about reuniting two lovers and seeing if their love could survive time and distance apart."

Andrew Lincoln

The Ones Who Live did exactly what Lincoln hoped, as it felt like its own story reuniting Rick and Michonne, who found themselves back together despite all they endured.

The series also delved much deeper into the CRM (Civic Republic Military) and revealed the true nature of its leaders. While the series was praised overall, the ending did feel a bit rushed but possibly set up future stories.

Where to stream The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will be added to Netflix on Jan. 13, 2025, in a continued partnership between the streamer and AMC Networks. Netflix also offers all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead, eight seasons of Fear the Walking Dead, and season 1 of the Daryl Dixon spinoff.