‘The Walking Dead’ season finale is being delayed due to coronavirus

“The Walking Dead” will end the current season a week prematurely, as the coronavirus shutdown has interfered with postproduction work on the zombie drama’s finale.

AMC announced that the post-apocalyptic series would have to close its 10th season with the 15th episode, on April 5, posting a message to fans that the finale will air later this year.

The network had already been forced to postpone a related series, “Walking Dead: World Beyond,” which was scheduled to premiere immediately after the finale for the flagship show. Later episodes of that series — a limited two-season project — also haven’t been completed.

AMC has been steadily expanding the “Walking Dead” universe, first with the spinoff “Fear the Walking Dead” and then by announcing a series of movies starring Andrew Lincoln, who played the central character of Rick Grimes but opted to leave the show.

Danai Gurira, another major cast member, also left the original series in the most recent episode, but because her character, Michonne, remained alive, she is expected to turn up in the franchise down the road.

Although ratings for the show have fallen from its heyday, it still remains popular by current TV standards. AMC has already renewed the series for an 11th season, although its usually October premiere date is also likely to be pushed back due to the production delays related to Covid-19.