Glen Mazzara 'The Walking Dead' Showrunner Leaving Show For Season 4
"The Walking Dead" executive producer and writer Glen Mazzara confirmed Friday that he is leaving AMC's hit show.
AMC announced Friday that it will feature a fourth season of "The Walking Dead" but Mazzara, 45 is no longer going to be the showrunner of the hit series.
"I've had an amazing experience as showrunner for S3 Walking Dead but it's time to move on. Thank you to all the fans for their support," Mazzara wrote on his Twitter Friday.
"The Walking Dead fans are absolutely amazing. I cannot thank you enough for your support," he wrote adding: "Thank you to an immensely talented cast and crew."
In its statement the network cited differences between Mazzara and the producers.
"Both parties acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion about where the show should go moving forward, and conclude that it is best to part ways," AMC said in a statement.
"This decision is amicable and Glen will remain on for post-production on season 3B as showrunner and executive producer."
"The Walking Dead" became the first cable series in television history to reign as the biggest show of the fall season beating all broadcast and cable entertainment series including "The Voice," "Modern Family," "X Factor," "Two and a Half Men," "The Big Bang Theory" and "Grey's Anatomy," for the most coveted adult 18-49 demographics among advertisers, AMC said in a statement Dec. 3.
The Dec. 2 premiere of the series delivered 10.5 million viewers.
"The Walking Dead" received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup (2011/2012). The series are based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, "The Walking Dead" and tells the story of the months and years that follow the zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home.
Mazzara started working for "The Walking Dead" as a freelance writer in 2010 and was nominated for a Writer's Guild of America Award for his work on Season 1.
For season 2 he was promoted to showrunner and the series drew critical and popular acclaim. The show's Season 2 Finale drew more than 9 million viewers to become the highest-rated drama finale in basic cable history.
Although season 2 had a slow pace, according to many viewers, Mazzara's contributions for the following season helped bring 10 million viewers a week for the series' third season.
"As soon as I became showrunner, I felt our horror element demanded this style of accelerated storytelling," Mazzara told the Hollywood Reporter. "If you have a good twist, move it up instead of saving it and building to it. Throw it at the audience when they -- and the characters -- least expect it."
