Curtis was cast earlier in December 2014, and Gone Girl actress Dickens (pictured) was announced as the female lead this week after a reportedly lengthy casting process, according to Deadline. Although character and plot details are unconfirmed at this point, the still-untitled series is expected to follow a divorced teacher (Curtis) and guidance counselor (Dickens) who must work together to survive a world suddenly filled with flesh-hungry zombies.
The series is set on the West Coast instead of the southeastern U.S., where The Walking Dead unfolds.
Like The Walking Dead, the new series has Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, and David Alpert as executive producers. Dave Erickson, who co-created and co-wrote the pilot episode with Kirkman, will serve as an additional executive producer and the series’ showrunner. Adam Davidson, who most recently directed several episodes of Hell On Wheels, is attached to direct the pilot episode.
While Curtis is probably best known for his roles in the series Gang Related and Missing, Dickens earned praise for her role in the recent film Gone Girl, and was also a memorable, recurring character in Sons of Anarchy and Deadwood.
There’s no premiere date set for the pilot episode of the spinoff series at this point.
