Norman Reedus Supports ‘Walking Dead’ Spinoff Idea That Doesn’t Involve Carol
Norman Reedus recently showed his support for a Walking Dead spinoff idea focused on Daryl Dixon, but Caryl shippers aren’t going to be happy when they learn which character Reedus wants to see as Dixon’s partner-in-crime. Here’s a hint: It’s not Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride).
According to MTV News, Norman Reedus recently took part in a fast and furious Twitter Q&A. He tried to answer as many fan’s questions as he possibly could, and most of their queries were Walking Dead-related. Norman avoided answering any questions about Daryl Dixon’s love life, but he did show a little bromantic love for Andrew Lincoln by admitting that he still has his beard in his freezer. Reedus also revealed that he’d love to play Michael Cudlitz’s character, Abraham Ford, if he could be a different Walking Dead survivor for a day. However, he doesn’t want to work with Lincoln or Cudlitz on the Daryl Dixon spinoff.
Instead of starring in a Walking Dead sequel alongside one of his current co-stars, Norman Reedus would like to resurrect a deceased character to appear alongside Daryl Dixon in a prequel series. Reedus told a fan that it would be “super-fun” to explore Daryl’s life before the zombie apocalypse, and this would mean fans would get to see a lot more of Daryl’s racist, sexist older brother Merle (Michael Rooker).
@wwwbigbaldhead When TWD inevitably (& sadly) ends, would you be open to a Daryl & Merle spinoff prequel? #AskNorman
— 34inXXIII (@34inXXIII) August 20, 2015
that sounds super fun https://t.co/RU8SLgIBve — norman reedus (@wwwbigbaldhead) August 20, 2015
Perhaps Reedus wants to bring Michael Rooker back because he’s experiencing a little survivor’s guilt. During an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Reedus revealed that he initially auditioned for the Merle Dixon role, but instead he was presented with a character that was created especially for him.
“I asked to go in for anything, even something just for a day. They got me in for an audition — not in front of Frank [Darabont] — but I read Merle’s lines. I’d already been told that Michael Rooker was playing that part and thought maybe he couldn’t do it or said no for some reason,” Reedus revealed. “I read it and went back to New York after pilot season and got a call to audition again. I came in and read different Merle lines. I thought maybe Rooker was not going to be doing it.”
However, it sounds like then-showrunner Darabont was simply trying to figure out some way to work Reedus into the show.
“When I left the offices in New York, I was walking home through Chinatown and got a call saying Frank created a new part — Daryl — for me. I did cartwheels in Chinatown! It was a dream.”
As the Inquisitr previously reported, there might be a reason Norman Reedus has Merle on his mind right now. However, his ideal Walking Dead spinoff didn’t always include Daryl’s doomed brother. During a 2012 interview with Access Hollywood, Reedus shared his idea for a Daryl and Carol spinoff set in Central Park. Caryl would spend their time hunting squirrels and making moonshine, and they’d sell their hooch and rodents-on-a-stick to any surviving tourists who dare to visit the big city.
“We have theme song that goes, ‘Carol is sterile and Daryl is feral/a match made in hell.’ So you never know, maybe that will happen,” Reedus said.
Who would you rather see with Norman Reedus in a Walking Dead spinoff: Michael Rooker or Melissa McBride?
[Image credit: Jason Merritt/Getty]
