‘The Walking Dead’ season 8
Andrew Lincoln plays Rick Grimes on ‘The Walking Dead’ season 8. AMC/The Walking Dead

“The Walking Dead” season 8 is officially set for an October 22 premiere in in the US. The new season is set to focus on the much-hyped comic book storyline called the All Out War, which pits Rick (Andrew Lincoln), the Alexandrians, the Kingdommers and others against Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), the Saviours and the Scavengers. AMC showed off the season’s official trailer at San Diego Comic-Con International, and it’s packed with juicy bits.

Spoiler alert: This article contains plot details about the eighth season of “The Walking Dead,” which will premiere in October of this year. Australian viewers will be available to watch the new season on Foxtel.

The trailer starts off with a menacing Negan, taunting Gabriel inside a dark room. Just outside the window, the silhouettes of a bunch of walkers can be seen, and they’re dying to get in. Negan asks Gabriel if he brought with him his “number two” pants since he’ll need it, according to the menacing leader of the Saviours.

There’s also the awesome shot of Daryl (Norman Reedus) taking a sip as a horde of walkers approach him. Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Rosita (Christian Serratos) are also seen in a car driven by the latter. Both women are still nursing the injuries they sustained during last season’s finale, but they seem to have recovered just enough to drive around.

A lot of worried faces can also be seen in the trailer, including those of Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Dwight (Austin Amelio). The preview also shows a number of action sequences like Daryl’s blaze of glory and the Kingdommers’ gunfight scene.

The last part of the trailer, however, could be the most talked about chunk about the whole thing. It features a serene and older Rick – perhaps from a later timeline – with grey hair and thick beard, lying in bed. There’s also a cane near him.

It’s interesting because in the comic book series, which is obviously ahead of the TV show, Rick and company end up defeating Negan and his troops. Unfortunately, war takes its toll and Rick ends up with a broken leg. The story then skips a few years into the future, where an older Rick with Moses-like beard walks with the help of a cane.

It remains to be seen if the TV series will follow the same time jump during the latter part of “The Walking Dead” season 8. It could likely happen on or before the season finale. Stay connected with IBTimes Australia for more TWD updates.

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