The Walking Dead‘s Dwight actor, Austin Amelio, has given his views on the possible return of his anti-hero character. Dwight first appeared in four episodes of The Walking Dead season 6, as a ruthless member of The Saviors, and one of Negan’s lieutenants. He went on to become a main character in seasons 7 and 8 of the show and was exiled for his crimes, and, repenting for his crimes, goes in search of his wife Sherry. Dwight was also a prominent character in spinoff show Fear the Walking Dead, appearing as a main character from seasons 5 through 8.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant at the Sundance premiere of Bunnylovr, Amelio opens up on the possibility of Dwight returning to the franchise in future spinoffs. Both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead have concluded now, and the character survived at the end, which opens the door for possible future returns. Amelio seemed open to a return to the franchise, pointing to the fact that The Walking Dead has launched multiple spinoffs, but he remained non-committal to what the future might hold. Check out Amelio’s comments below:
ScreenRant: The Walking Dead Universe stays alive despite its name. When might we see Dwight in it again?
Austin Amelio: I have no idea. I don’t know. I have no idea. I don’t know. I mean, they’re always trying to do spinoffs and things like that, so maybe something will happen in the future with that. But I’m not quite sure.
The Character’s Arc Could See Him Brought Back
Dwight has one of the most interesting arcs of The Walking Dead franchise, starting off as a villain, before undergoing a redemption arc, and trying to become a better man by helping those in need. In the Fear the Walking Dead finale, he and Sherry vow to stay together as a family and help improve the Sanctuary, turning it into a safe haven for all survivors. The fact that the character remains alive, and is now committed to helping build a better world, means there is a good chance he could return in other Walking Dead spinoffs in the future.
Negan’s (and Dwight’s) redemptive arcs mean there’s an outside chance he could return in Dead City at some stage, but I think this is unlikely.
While Amelio is unsure if he will be back on The Walking Dead in the future, there is definitely scope to bring the character back, from a storytelling standpoint. As long as there is a valid reason to do so, and it fits with the narrative, there is no reason why Dwight could not make a return. Of course, his fractured relationship with many of the legacy characters might make this harder to pull off, but the writers could probably find a way to bring Dwight back if necessary.
Our Verdict On Whether Dwight Will Return To The Walking Dead
While It Feels Unlikely, If He Is To Return The Spinoff Would Need To Be Right
The two active Walking Dead spinoffs focus on characters Dwight has had conflict with, Daryl and Negan. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has been renewed for season 3, while The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 premieres this year. Daryl’s promise to kill Dwight if he ever saw him again makes it nearly impossible he would appear in Daryl Dixon. Negan’s (and Dwight’s) redemptive arcs mean there’s an outside chance he could return in Dead City at some stage, but I think this is unlikely. Nevertheless, Dwight remains an important character, and his Walking Dead legacy has been cemented.
Source: Screen Rant