Walking Dead creator's next apocalyptic TV series will be made in Korea

Robert Kirkman’s next apocalyptic TV series has found a home — and it’s a long way from AMC.

The Walking Dead creator’s Five Year, about a family living under the threat of a deadly meteor headed toward Earth, will be filmed as a Korean drama. The series from Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment will debut on Korean broadcast television (with a 16-episode first season) and then will stream worldwide on global fan site Viki.

Described as a “pre-apocalytpic” story, the show’s concept is based on an original story by Kirkman that was also the inspiration for The Walking Dead prequel, Fear the Walking Dead. The name reflects the length of the show’s story and its anticipated production schedule, as it takes place over five years that will be shot over five seasons.

“This has been a story I have wanted to tell for quite some time, but [Skybound co-founder David Alpert] and I wanted to make sure it found a proper home where it could grow and breathe creatively,” Kirkman said. “Looking at what Viki has done in not only the dramatic series space, but transforming the way viewers consume and translate media, we knew immediately Five Year had found its home.”

Added Tammy H. Nam, CEO of Viki: “In many ways, Viki and Skybound represent the future of global entertainment, particularly with Hollywood-Asia collaborations and VOD platforms like Viki leading distribution and fan-building. We’re thrilled to be working with the creators and executive producers of one of the most popular TV series of all time. The fact that David and Robert wanted to make Five Year as a K-drama is a testament to the massive global popularity and quality of Asian programming.”

Five Year will begin filming later this year. 

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  By James Hibberd