Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln Leaving Show: What Do You Think?

ATLANTA, GA — "The Walking Dead" is one of the productions that helped put Georgia on the map as a major player in the entertainment industry. And, next season, AMC's zombie-apocalypse show is in for a major change.

Andrew Lincoln, the English actor who has portrayed main character Rick Grimes since the series began in 2010, will be leaving the show next season, according to multiple media reports. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Lincoln will appear on only a handful of Season 9 episodes and that Norman Reedus, who plays Darryl, got a big raise to step up as the show's new lead.

The move will mark yet another departure from "The Walking Dead's" source material. In the comic penned by Robert Kirkman, Grimes — the Southern sheriff who wakes up from a coma to find the world descended into zombie-infested madness — is still the main character.

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Grimes' exit also will come as the show is phasing out Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie. Cohan has been cast as the lead in a new ABC show, "Whiskey Cavalier." It also comes in the wake of the Season 8 death of Grimes' on-screen son, Carl, played by Chandler Riggs.

"The Walking Dead" was a surprise smash hit for AMC when it debuted in 2010. Over its history, it has racked up the highest Nielsen ratings in cable television history, playing particularly well in the coveted 18-49 year old bracket. While those astronomical numbers have come back to Earth somewhat in the past couple of years, the show remains a centerpiece for AMC.

There has, of course, been no official word on how Rick Grimes will exit the story. Some story lines have suggested that Rick may be dying — a fate no character, no matter how popular, is safe from on "The Walking Dead."

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According to THR, Reedus's new salary will be "north of $20 million." Season 9 is set to debut in fall 2018.

What do you think? We know Reedus's Darryl is beloved by a huge chunk of the show's fan base. But will he be as good of a main character as the sometimes brave, sometimes crazed Rick? Will you keep watching once Lincoln is gone?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below, or on social media.

Photo courtesy AMC