‘The Walking Dead’: Is Negan Being Cast, And Will Jesus Appear During Season 6? [Spoilers]

Fans of The Walking Dead are freaking out over a casting call that could be evidence that Negan is coming. Before you read on, be forewarned that there are more than a few potential spoilers splattered all over this article.

According to Cinemablend, The Walking Dead casting call causing all the commotion was first shared by TVLine, and the character description definitely sounds somewhat like Negan, the comic book Big Bad who lovingly bashes in the heads of both the living and the dead with his barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat.

The Walking Dead often uses fake names for characters in its casting calls so that fans won’t be able to figure out if a new comic book character is about to pop up on the show, and the name on the casting call in question is “Rich.” He’s described as “a fiftysomething narcissist who has an angry streak, a ‘Senator-like charm’ and the charisma of a car salesman.”

In his “Letter Hacks” column for The Walking Dead comic book issue No. 143, Robert Kirkman revealed that Negan used to be a used car salesman. However, it’s possible that the profession was mentioned in Rich’s description simply to mess with viewers’ minds. Many fans are feverishly awaiting Negan’s arrival, so perhaps this was just a tease to keep that anticipation from evaporating as fans grow impatient for Negan’s introduction. Unfortunately, his arrival could spell trouble for someone in Rick’s group.

Cinemablend speculates that the character described above is actually Gregory, the leader of the yet-to-be-seen Hilltop Community. The age is seemingly the biggest giveaway, because Negan isn’t in his 50s — he’s at least a decade younger. Gregory also appears a few issues before Negan does in the comic books, and he definitely has more than a whiff of that used car salesman sleaziness about him.

The Spoiling Dead Fans Facebook page has provided quite a bit of evidence showing that The Walking Dead is going to introduce the Hilltop Community during Season 6. This includes an impressive aerial photo of the Hilltop Community set and the spotting of a character who might be Paul Monroe, aka “Jesus,” shoot scenes on The Walking Dead set. Jesus appears in the comic books before both Negan and Gregory.

According to the scene description on the TSDF page, there’s a tense confrontation between Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) after they arrive at a store in separate vehicles. A man resembling comic book Jesus breaks up their little war of words by telling them that they only have seven minutes to get to wherever they’re going.

Even if the casting call above isn’t for Negan, fans shouldn’t give up hoping of seeing the sadistic villain smash in a few heads during Season 6 of The Walking Dead. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly that took place earlier this summer, showrunner Scott M. Gimple revealed that it’s “absolutely a possibility” that he’ll make an appearance before the end of this season.

“We have a plan in place, but there’s a couple variables for that plan that we’re deciding about. It really depends on a few factors as we move into setting up the last bit of the season story-wise.”

In other words, if Negan does get introduced, it won’t be until the latter episodes of the upcoming season.

Season 6 of The Walking Dead premieres October 11 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

[Image credit: Gene Page/AMC via Facebook]