The Walking Dead on AMC

Huge news for geeks: AMC, the US cable station responsible for award-winning shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad, are planning to adapt comic-book series The Walking Dead. Even better, the series will be written and directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) and produced by Gale Anne Hurd (Aliens, Terminator 2) How's that for answering fanboy prayers?

Joel Stillerman, AMC's Senior Vice-President of Pogramming, Production & Original Content:

"This is not about zombies popping out of closets. This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances. The world [in Walking Dead] is portrayed in a smart, sophisticated way. We've got an audience that loves this kind of material. [Frank Darabont and producer Gale Anne Hurd] are two world-class filmmakers who are also brilliant storytellers with experience in the fantasy genre."

The Walking Dead focuses on Rick Grimes, a small-town cop from Cynthiana, Kentucky, his family, and a number of survivors after a zombie outbreak. The comic has been printing issues monthly since 2003.