'Art Beyond Ratings': Norman Reedus says new 'The Walking Dead' spin-off about his character won't chase views

"The Walking Dead" star Norman Reedus has expressed his admiration for the artistic freedom of his new project, the Daryl spin-off, and has drawn some interesting parallels to his time working on the original series.

Here's What We Know

"We’re making art"," Reedus shared with Entertainment Weekly, referring to The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. The spin-off is set in Europe and tells the story of a survivor and tortured Daryl, who washed up on the shores of France.

Reedus pointed to his experience working on "The Walking Dead," which ran for 11 seasons, and noted that it often led to a fixation on familiar and repetitive moments.

"I think with doing a show as long as The Walking Dead for that many years, whether you know it or not, you fall into a rhythm of repeating things that work. I found myself saying some of the same lines over and over, and did all the other sorts of storylines that we had done before, maybe with another character or whatever. Now, we're not following anything."."I think with doing a show as long as The Walking Dead for that many years, whether you know it or not, you fall into a rhythm of repeating things that work. I found myself saying some of the same lines over and over, and did all the other sorts of storylines that we had done before, maybe with another character or whatever. Now, we're not following anything."

For Reedus, a spin-off about Daryl is completely "different," not fixated on ratings or popularity culture.

"I feel like we're not cranking it out for numbers on a Sunday night. We're making art, and there's moving dialogue. It's a different animal and it's beautiful, it's touching, and it's sort of amazing to look at and listen to and watch and feel" It'"I feel like we're not cranking it out for numbers on a Sunday night. We're making art, and there's moving dialogue. It's a different animal and it's beautiful, it's touching, and it's sort of amazing to look at and listen to and watch and feel"

He also added in the interview that beloved elements of "The Walking Dead" (especially "those early years," as he notes) will remain in the new project for true fans. Producer Greg Nicotero, however, has previously hinted at the arrival of a new kind of dead that will "change all the rules" of interacting with them.

When We Can Expect It

The first season of six episodes of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will start on 10 September. A second season is already planned, as is the spin-off "The Walking Dead: Dead City," set in New York City and telling the story of Maggie and Negan.

"The Ones Who Live," in which Rick and Michonne meet for the first time after years apart, will air in 2024.