Cannes Premiere Highlights for ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ Star Jeffrey Dean Morgan

CANNES, France — Jeffrey Dean Morgan celebrated the premiere of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City‘ at the Cannes Film Festival on May 2, 2025. The actor, known for his role as Negan, received the honor of placing his handprints on the Cannes Walk of Fame while accompanied by his wife, actress Hilarie Burton, and their two children.

Speaking to Variety after the event, Morgan described the experience as “an incredible honor.” He shared insights about his real family and the one he formed while filming ‘The Walking Dead.’ “To have my family there made it even more special,” he said. “My wife had never been to Cannes; my daughter had never walked a carpet before, and she took to it like a fish to water.”

‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ is the first sequel to the original series and the fifth installment of the franchise. It features Morgan’s character Negan and his adversary Maggie, portrayed by Lauren Cohan, navigating a post-apocalyptic Manhattan. The upcoming season intensifies the conflict for control over New York, showcasing their opposing factions.

Reflecting on his decade-long portrayal of Negan, Morgan expressed disbelief at reaching this milestone. “It’s nuts,” he said. “This role has been part of my life for so long that I can’t picture it ending, unless I’m too old to do it anymore.” He acknowledged unique dynamics with Maggie and emphasized the challenges of portraying characters who often want to kill each other.

Morgan, who first joined ‘The Walking Dead’ in Season 6, noted that he initially expected a shorter tenure. “I thought I’d be here for four years, but they kept bringing me back with new storylines,” he explained.

Aside from acting, Morgan also serves as an executive producer on the series, a role he considers his favorite. “Making decisions on the cast and crew is crucial because that’s your family for half the year,” he said. “We want to bring in people we love and avoid any negative personalities.”

‘Dead City’ addresses contemporary themes like greed and privilege, a hallmark of the franchise. Morgan remarked, “The show has never just been about zombies; it’s about people.” He elaborated that the series illustrates humanity’s struggle to cooperate, a central theme across its iterations.

Fans can look forward to Negan’s iconic weapon, Lucille, returning in Season 2. Morgan expressed his excitement about having Lucille back, saying, “To have her in my hands was more important to me than to Negan.” He described his character’s relationship with Lucille as one of “love and hate,” reflecting his internal struggles.

‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ Season 2 is set to premiere on May 4, 2025, exclusively on AMC and AMC+. The series is produced by Gimple, with Morgan and Cohan as executive producers.