Andrew Lincoln Is Exiting ‘The Walking Dead’ in Season 9 & We Can Only Hope It's Painless

’Tis a sad day for fans of Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Andrew Lincoln is calling it quits after the upcoming ninth season. But don’t expect the creators to dedicate the entire season to the show’s leading man, because the character is set to appear in only six—we repeat, six—more episodes. Just let that sink in.

The good news is Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, considering the actor negotiated a $20 million contract to stay on the show. NBD. The deal should come as no surprise since Chandler Riggs, who played Carl, left the series in season eight and, in turn, started a spiral effect of exits. Desperation at its finest, ladies and gents. 

Although we don’t know how Rick will meet his doom, we can only hope he goes quickly. Gulp. Season nine of The Walking Dead is expected to return to AMC sometime in 2019.

RELATED: These 10 Netflix Shows Are the Most Popular Inaugural Forays into Binge-Watching