2015 continues to be a big year for genre fans. Not only will it bring a new Star Wars movie, a second Avengers film and the much-discussed debut of Ben Affleck as Batman in the still-unnamed sequel to Man of Steel, but this morning AMC announced that it'll also be the year when The Walking Dead spins off a brand-new television series set in the same post-apocalyptic world.

The cable channel revealed today that it is in "the initial stages of developing a companion series" to its hyper-successful adaptation of the long-running Image Comics series co-created and written by Robert Kirkman about a group of human survivors in a world filled with the undead. Kirkman is part of the group developing the spinoff, acting as executive producer on the project alongside Walking Dead execs Gail Anne Hurd and David Alpert.

"I couldn't be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of The Walking Dead universe," said Kirkman in a statement included the network's announcement, adding that "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." AMC president Charlie Collier promised that the show would feature "an entirely new story and cast of characters," while offering "another unforgettable view of the zombie apocalypse."

Today's news is another example of AMC strengthening its core offerings; last week, the channel announced Better Call Saul, a prequel spinoff from Breaking Bad focusing on popular character Saul Goodman as the original series winds down to its finale. Given the 2015 premiere date for the Walking Dead spinoff, it's possible that the network is planning for this second zombie series to ultimately replace Dead in the same way that Saul will replace Breaking Bad, which ends in two weeks.

The Walking Dead returns for its fourth season on October 13.