Comic-Con 2018: Andrew Lincoln Confirms Walking Dead Season 9 Will Be His Last

The Walking Dead's longtime protagonist Rick Grimes may not be long for the world of the walkers. During a panel at SDCC 2018, Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) confirmed that he will be leaving the show after Season 9 airs.

In light of the new Season 9 trailer, which you can watch above, there's been some speculation that Lincoln would be headed out shortly. Robert Kirkman, the author of the original Walking Dead comics, when asked about Lincoln's departure, didn't confirm anything, but did say "It's looking that way."

"Lincoln has been leading the show since the very first episode, and despite what you may think given Rick's southern drawl, Lincoln is actually based in England, and has to leave his family every year to film in Georgia," Kirkman said. "This is a human being. This is someone I've known for almost a decade, somebody that I love. He's been sweating in Georgia away from his family for so long."

Lincoln bid an emotional farewell to fans at SDCC 2018, thanking the showrunners and fans for the experience he had on the show. TV reporter for Variety, Joe Otterson, caught the moment and shared it on Twitter, which you can watch below.

"This will be my last season," Lincoln says. "I love this show, it means everything to me. I love the people who make this show--I promise not to cry, I've done enough crying on screen--I am also deeply fond of the people who watch this show, you people. This has been the most extraordinary, amazing, and beautiful experience of my career made largely because of you guys."

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