Despite the immense global success of AMC’s The Walking Dead, Norman Reedus’ upcoming role in a successful $1 billion franchise could provide a strong replacement for the actor. With The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2 confirmed, Reedus will once again take on hordes of zombies as he fights for survival in the apocalypse. Reedus’ long run in the Walking Dead franchise is already impressive, considering how many fan favorites he’s outlasted, but it makes sense that, for one reason or another, the time will come when Reedus will ultimately put aside Daryl’s crossbow and motorcycle for good.
It goes without saying that Daryl’s popularity was a massive step in the actor’s career. Prior to The Walking Dead’s success, Reedus was primarily known for taking on smaller roles, something the actor has continued to excel in over the years. He would gradually gain prominence after appearances in The Boondock Saints, Blade II, and The Walking Dead, which also led to his casting in video game designer Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, further showcasing his range. Nevertheless, Reedus’ upcoming role has the potential to not only be one of the biggest of his career, but also a strong replacement if The Walking Dead ever ends, or his story is brought to a close.
Norman Reedus will star in Ballerina opposite Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves in the 2025 John Wick spinoff. Reedus’ still unnamed role in Ballerina could tease the actor’s future, given that his involvement could expand the series even further. One of the John Wick franchise’s greatest strengths is its ability to successfully include a plethora of actors ranging from big-name stars to underappreciated character actors, and create great characters for both. While the details surrounding Reedus’ new character are scarce, the franchise’s financial and critical track record both bode well for his career.
Although Reedus has enjoyed immense success as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead, John Wick‘s critical plaudits and the franchise’s massive financial success indicate that Ballerina could be a new home. While The Walking Dead is a global pop-culture phenomenon, the John Wick franchise is reinventing the action movie wheel, and setting a higher bar for the genre in the process. Daryl is one of The Walking Dead‘s most beloved characters, but Reedus’ role in Ballerina could be just as good if not better, and it would be smart for the franchise to keep Reedus for as long as possible.
The popularity that Reedus has enjoyed from The Walking Dead would not only give the franchise broader appeal, but it could also demonstrate John Wick‘s proclivities for taking virtually any actor or actress, and giving them a character that redefines their careers. Before Reeves was cast as the titular assassin, he wasn’t primarily seen as an action star. Since the series’ success, both he and the franchise have enjoyed broader appeal. Norman Reedus would bring The Walking Dead crowd to Ballerina, which could help make it a financially successful entry in the series.