“The core streaming community, once they have awareness of something and lean in, they want it right away,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios. “So you wouldn’t market [a show] to a streaming platform two or three weeks out because people can’t get online right away and watch.”

Despite the industry changes, McDermott told ADWEEK the series is coming out at the “perfect time.”

“[Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira] have been away from the universe for long enough that there’s a real rabid enthusiasm to see where they are, how they’re going to connect and what’s going to happen from there,” McDermott said.

The numbers appear to support McDermott’s assessment. In addition to the premiere viewership, the pilot episode also led to the biggest day for direct-to-consumer signups in AMC+ history and was the most-watched episode of any show on the platform, according to AMC.

“It’s been a long journey, and to have landed it, that does feel incredible,” Gimple said about the series finally hitting the air.

The franchise that lives

In addition to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Gimple has several projects on the way, including a new season of The Walking Dead: Dead City, a series with Lauren Cohan’s Maggie and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan teaming up in New York, and more seasons of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which features Norman Reedus’ Daryl taking on zombies in the French countryside.

There’s also “a whole host of things” coming if Gimple gets his way.

“I present the possibilities and, of course, AMC ultimately makes the final decision,” Gimple said. “We’ve been in the lab, we’re ready to rock, and there are some pretty cool things that should be coming.”

Regarding the future of the franchise, McDermott explained The Walking Dead’s zombie apocalypse will live on at AMC.

“We will continue to tell stories in this universe for as long as the fans continue to express their amazing and enthusiastic interest,” McDermott said. “We’re gonna continue to do what’s best to keep people engaged and watching.”