Andrew Lincoln will not direct in season 10 of The Walking Dead

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When series star Andrew Lincoln left The Walking Dead during season 9, the hope — and plan — was that he would be back in season 10… as a director. “I’m going back,” Lincoln told EW last summer. “I’m going back to shadow a director, and my intention is to direct next year.”

Lincoln did, in fact, go back to shadow director Michael E. Satrazemis for season 9’s 12th episode, “Guardians,” and was planning to direct for the first time in his career for the upcoming season. “I can’t be that far away because I can’t bear it,” Lincoln told EW. “That’s how much I am invested in the show and the continuation of the story.”

Unfortunately, he’ll have to stay away a bit longer than anticipated. EW has learned that Lincoln will not be directing in season 10 after all. It seems schedules could not be aligned for the star to make his triumphant return for the coming season.

However, another former Walking Dead star will be behind the camera in season 10 as Michael Cudlitz (who played “dolphin smooth” Abraham Ford and returned to helm last season’s “Stradivarius”) has already directed another installment of the flagship show for season 10. In addition, Fear the Walking Dead star Colman Domingo recently directed his second Fear episode, “Humbug’s Gulch.”

While Lincoln will not be calling “Action!” in season 10, he will indeed be returning as Rick Grimes to the franchise in a trilogy of Walking Dead films, although filming dates and locations have yet to be announced. More Walking Dead news is sure to come out of the show’s Comic-Con panel in San Diego on Friday afternoon, so check back on EW.com for updates.

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