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Fans Will Be "Gobsmacked" By This Season Of 'Fear The Walking Dead,' According To The Cast

by Taylor Ferber
AMC

Spoilers for the Fear The Walking Dead Season 4 premiere.

The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead fans got a one-two punch of surprises on Sunday night. While TWD wrapped its first eight seasons with an epic finale on Sunday night, it also started a new chapter with the Season 4 premiere of Fear The Walking Dead. At AMC's “Survival Sunday" event in Los Angeles, two new cast members of Fear The Walking Dead hinted at Season 4 spoilers that promise the addition of unique characters, some big-budget action scenes, and Morgan's ongoing journey following his highly-anticipated crossover.

During Sunday night's TWD finale, Morgan (Lennie James) was launched into the world of FTWD, in which he was immediately on the move. After being visited by Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and some of his crew members at the junkyard where Morgan decided to live by himself, he decided to run from it all and venture out across the country. While Morgan gives his best attempt at avoiding new people along his path, he of course ultimately encounters new allies and enemies.

Morgan first meets John (Garret Dillahunt) and the two encounter the mysterious Althea (Maggie Grace). Al is a journalist who wants to get on-camera interviews with both men for a story she's working on about those who've survived the outbreak. Grace explains why the addition of her character Al is bringing something new to the franchise. "I really feel The Walking Dead universe has not seen a character like this before, a woman with this kind of agenda," she teases. "I think she’s got a mercenary side but a really soulful side as well. You never know how she’s going to assimilate into groups or not."

AMC/Richard Foreman

There's also new wanderer and series regular Naomi, played by Jenna Elfman, who fans will meet in Episode 2. Elfman teases just how impactful Morgan's crossover will be, saying, "[Naomi] goes on quite a journey, and it’s not by accident that Morgan is the crossover character. He’s got such a dynamic story of everything he’s been through." In the Season 4 premiere, fans already got a taste of what Morgan will encounter and how new, dynamic characters will be added to the mix. "Every one of these characters really do profoundly affect each other as they come in contact with each other," Elfman continues.

Beyond new characters, the series will begin playing with the element of time, which Elfman is eager to watch unfold. "Visually, it’s the combination of all the elements that have been reworked... they’re visually showing they’re playing with time, using cinematic things with pigment color," the actor says. Fans also got a preview of this new aesthetic during Sunday night's episode while Morgan was on the run. "It’s very visually stunning," she adds.

While this probably goes without saying, it's likely this season will have some gut-wrenching moments. "The fans are gonna be gobsmacked this season," Grace reveals. "I was reading the scripts. There were things I was devastated by." Elfman further explains how epic and cinematic upcoming storylines and scenes feel. "There are really big dynamic episodes like giant action movies," she says. "Amazing things happening but also very intimate storytelling with tender moments as well. There’s a lot."

AMC

Although the series has new show runners this season, the themes at the heart of the show will still be intact. One of the new show runners, Andrew Chambliss, recently told The Hollywood Reporter that FTWD Season 4 would feel fresh and new in many ways (given characters, structure changes, and multiple timelines), but that ideas of "isolation and community" would remain at the core.

Elfman reflects this notion, saying, "There are themes, they’ve been showing more than [one character] saying, 'I lose people and then I lose myself,'" she says. "Each character in their own way is starting this season on a new journey." Here's hoping at least some of these characters survive the season.