Actor Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) from The Walking Dead is leaving the series.

Lincoln will move on to other things in his career such as directing. His final appearance will be this month in season nine of The Walking Dead. 

Having had talks with executive producer Scott Gimple as far back as season four. Lincoln planned out his exit to a respectable eight seasons before deciding to leave the show.

Fans of The Walking Dead comic book series have noticeably watched the show pointing out the differences between the source material and the TV series. Avid readers continue to see the troubles that the character Rick Grimes has to go through along with his son Carl. Another staple character who was killed off from the show in season eight.

Lincoln says, “You know, we shared young families and there was a lot of synchronicity between the two of us that were two heads of a show that seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. We spoke about it and said, ‘There’s got to be a shape. We need a shape to work out if we get to season five then maybe we’ve got a couple more.’ There were all these ifs and buts and strategies. And I said, eight sounds like a good number.’ Eight seasons was certainly something. Last season was a shape that I had in my head and it was certainly something that Scott was possibly thinking about as well that was a completion of a certain chapter which could be called Rick’s falling.”

It’s likely Lincoln will direct an episode of the series’ tenth season.

“I have to do it. I have to come home. There was a certain sense that I’ve been without a home for this time. And I think it is right,” Lincoln says.

Lincoln isn’t the only star of the franchise to move from actor to director. “Fear the Walking Dead” stars Colman Domingo and Michael Cudlitz directed an episode of “The Walking Dead” in season nine. “The Walking Dead” will premiere it’s next season October 7 on AMC.