David Zabel Signs Overall Deal with AMC Studios and Partners with Netflix for New Cop Drama

AMC’s The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Executive Producer David Zabel Signs Overall Deal with AMC Studios

As AMC’s The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon approaches its fourth and final season, executive producer and showrunner David Zabel has secured his place with the network by signing an overall deal with AMC Studios, which oversees the The Walking Dead franchise.

Under the terms of the agreement, Zabel has sold a gritty cop drama to Netflix, currently in development with Scott Free Productions. This move marks an expansion of Zabel’s relationship with AMC Studios, where he previously had a deal primarily focused on Daryl Dixon, guiding the series throughout its duration.

“David is a talented writer and seasoned showrunner who we are thrilled to be working with,” remarked Ben Davis, EVP of Original Programming for AMC Global Media. “He has been a fantastic partner on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which has been one of the most ambitious shows in the entire universe. We are very much looking forward to developing new AMC Studios projects together under this new overall deal.”

The spinoff, featuring beloved character Norman Reedus reprising his role as Dixon, has taken the franchise to Europe, with filming locations that include France for its first two seasons and Spain for Seasons 3 and 4. This partnership has also allowed Zabel visibility on Netflix, as the post-apocalyptic drama is available for streaming under AMC’s licensing agreement with the platform.

Zabel began his career in broadcast television, developing and executive producing multiple series. Notably, he served a five-season tenure as EP/showrunner for NBC’s ER and led the ABC police drama Detroit 1-8-7. He also created and ran the PBS series Mercy Street before transitioning to cable with The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Now, Zabel is making strides into the streaming landscape, with representation from UTA and HJTH.