AMC orders two seasons of 'Walking Dead' companion series

NEW YORK, March 9 (UPI) -- AMC says it has placed an initial two-season order for an as-yet-untitled, companion series to The Walking Dead, which takes place mainly in Georgia.

Set in Los Angeles, the second zombie-apocalypse program will focus on new characters and storylines.

The show's first season will consist of six one-hour episodes to premiere on AMC in late summer. Season 2 will air in 2016.

Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert from The Walking Dead are executive producers of the new series, which, like the original, is being produced by AMC Studios. Dave Erickson, who co-created and co-wrote the pilot with Kirkman, is an executive producer and series showrunner.

The cast will include Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane and Alycia Debnam Carey.

"We take incredibly seriously the notion of building a satisfying companion series to the No. 1 show on television. From the beginning of The Walking Dead on AMC, we've been asked questions about what was going on in other parts of the zombie apocalypse, and what it looked like as the world really did 'turn.' Through this new series, we're going to find out," Charlie Collier, AMC's president, said in a statement Monday. "Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson and their writing team, along with an incomparable set of producers, cast and crew have created something remarkable and clearly distinct. We respectfully follow the request of Monty Python as we bring out -- the latest of -- our Dead."

"We feel empowered by this two-season commitment, a serious show of faith from our network partner AMC," Kirkman added. "I personally take it as a sign that they believe, like we do, that we've accomplished our goal of developing something original that can pay tribute to the original show and expand the world I created while at the same time having something new to say with this story. I'm very grateful that we now have the opportunity to tell this amazing story and show the fans that we really haven't scratched the surface yet when it comes to The Walking Dead."