The Walking Dead: It Appears That Melissa McBride Will Appear In The Daryl Spin-Off After All

With the franchise's flagship title now over, AMC's "The Walking Dead" universe is in a period of rapid expansion. Alongside programs such as "The Walking Dead: Dead City" and the untitled miniseries dedicated to Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), fans are due for a show all about longtime fan favorite Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus). Initially, the story would've focused on both him and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), but McBride had to leave the show behind before production began. However, it appears that she'll factor into "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" after all.

The news of McBride's return has come to the forefront thanks to none other than Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who brings Negan to life in the "Walking Dead" universe. The actor claimed in a June 22 Twitter post that previous reports sharing McBride departed the title — a bit of news that sent the rumor mill into overdrive — are now outdated. She's back, and he can't wait to see her and Reedus team up on television once again. Ezekiel actor Khary Payton also wrote about the situation on Twitter, tweeting "Return of the Queen" along with a heart emoji.

Further proving that McBride is back for one more go-around as Carol, some footage of her on set has leaked online.

Melissa McBride decided to exit the series that would come to be known as "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" in 2022, citing travel requirements as the reason why. Folks online speculated that there could've been more to the story, with some even blaming Norman Reedus for her departure. Evidently, and as Jeffrey Dean Morgan touched on in his latest tweet, those allegations were entirely untrue. Regardless of the reason or reasons why she initially said goodbye to the Carol character, McBride does indeed seem to be back based on a behind-the-scenes video. 

A few days before Morgan's tweet regarding McBride's comeback went live, Twitter user @Lightenerrthang posted an intriguing video from the "Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" set. The brief clip shows Reedus and McBride in full costume from a distance, walking along a bridge side by side. "MELISSA MCBRIDE AND NORMAN REEDUS ON THE SET OF #TWD IN FRANCE CRYING SCREAMING THROWING UP," they excitedly wrote in the caption box, with numerous other "Walking Dead" fans celebrating the fact that McBride is back.

We'll have to see how heavily Carol impacts the narrative of "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" when the show debuts sometime this year.