In the wake of Andrew Lincoln’s exit from The Walking Dead series (but not the franchise, given that he’s set to reprise the role of Rick Grimes in three spinoff movies), we’re now down to just two of the original cast members from the first season in Norman Reedus (Daryl) and Melissa McBride (Carol).
Much has been made of Norman Reedus’ Daryl stepping up to the plate as the show’s new lead post-Rick, and now comes word from THR that both Reedus and McBride have scored major new deals to keep them tied to the franchise.
The site reports that both deals will run for three years, and cover the Walking Dead franchise as a whole, meaning they will continue to be paid for the duration, even if their characters are moved to a companion series or depart the show entirely.
Reedus is set to earn $350,000 per episode, in addition to additional guarantees and advances which could net the actor anywhere between $50 million to $90 million over the length of the contract. McBride meanwhile will also receive “a sizable pay bump” which will see her earning around $20 million.
SEE ALSO: The Walking Dead showrunner explains why Carl wasn’t present in Rick’s final episode
In addition to Reedus and McBride, Danai Gurira (Michonne) is also said to be in active negotiations with AMC, although this could be complicated by her status as a breakout actress in the wake of Marvel’s Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.
