Summary

Jeffrey Dean Morgan considered turning down his role in The Walking Dead: Dead City but was impressed by the storytelling.
The dynamic between Maggie and Negan will be explored in season 2 of The Walking Dead: Dead City.
The balance of personal journeys and dramatic interactions makes the Negan and Maggie storyline exciting.

The Walking Dead's post-apocalyptic universe is so rich and compelling that it's no wonder there are a few spinoff series. One of the best ones is, arguably, The Walking Dead: Dead City. Season 2, episode 1, "Power Equals Power" premiered on AMC on Sunday May 4th, 2025, and fans got the chance to catch up with Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan), Negan Smith (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and Negan's favorite thing in the world: his memorable bat.

While Morgan said he might not play Negan much longer, he also shared in a recent interview that he came close to saying no to reprising his infamous role. Countless fans would have been bummed if they didn't get the opportunity to see Negan on their TV screens again.

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By Rachael Fiddis

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Explained Why He Decided To Star In The Walking Dead: Dead City & It Would Have Been Disappointing If He Didn't

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jeffrey Dean Morgan said that the time was right for him to say yes to The Walking Dead: Dead City. The actor explained:

"If you had told me that a year ago that I would be doing it, I would've said, 'There's no way. I'm going to end this and walk away.' The new adventure awaits doing something else.'"

Morgan continued that he was impressed by the storytelling of the sequel series, and so he knew it was the right choice. He said:

"I think that The Walking Dead ending and walking away from it would've been a noble thing for us all to do. But the story was so good and so worth telling that it simply came down to, I couldn't say no. And I felt invigorated and wanted to continue it."

It would have been too bad if Morgan had decided against The Walking Dead: Dead City. While it's possible that the series could have featured another character teaming up with Maggie, that wouldn't have had the same impact. Negan and Maggie aren't big fans of each other, which makes their scenes unique and interesting.

There's also the fact that Negan is Morgan's most well-known character, and while the talented actor has appeared in many notable projects, including the 2011 true crime thriller Texas Killing Fields, it's hard for fans to let go of his compelling portrayal of the leader of the Saviors. The Walking Dead finale featured flashbacks, and many fans were pleased with how the post-apocalyptic story wrapped up. But, given Negan's strong character development, it would have been sad to say goodbye to him. It would also be a shame to never see Negan's beloved bat Lucille again.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 Explores Negan And Maggie's Dynamic

While The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 teaser showed that Lucille would still be a big part of Negan Smith's arc, the season premiere proved that Negan and Maggie's tricky dynamic will be explored, too. However, the characters will also be on their own, which will be thrilling to watch.

In an interview with TV Line, Jeffrey Dean Morgan explained:

“We spend a lot of time apart... We’ve got a couple of storylines going that have taken us away from each other, but then all roads do lead back to Maggie and Negan… so when we’re together, the stakes are higher.”

It sounds like The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 will strike a good balance between allowing Negan and Maggie to go on important personal journeys while also making them wonder if there will ever be a time when they could get along. There's no doubt that their distrust of one another makes for an exciting and dramatic series, and while fans wait for new episodes on Sunday evenings on AMC, they can rewatch season 1 on Netflix.

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