A new hoard of zombies is walking over to AMC. A spinoff series of The Walking Dead featuring a new story and a new cast of characters is now in development for a targeted 2015 debut, reports Deadline. Robert Kirkman — who created the comic book on which the original TV series is based — will be an executive producer on the new series. "I couldn't be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of The Walking Dead universe," Kirkman says in a statement. "The opportunity to make a show that isn't tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing.”

Two other executive producers from the original TV series will be joining Kirkman in work on the new show. In a statement, AMC's president says that the spinoff was "literally a no-brainer" — though it may well be a necessity for the network. AMC is at the height of its success from Breaking Bad and Mad Men, both of which are nearing conclusions and will be hard to replace. The network has already announced a Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul, as a way to ride and perhaps extend its success as those shows head off the air. The Walking Dead may not have achieved quite the critical acclaim of either of AMC's flagship series, but it's been a major success nonetheless, and a spinoff should have little trouble attracting attention from fans.