'Walking Dead' exec on Governor arc: 'He's a complex villain'

Published Jun 28 2012, 16:10 BST  |  By Morgan Jeffery

The Walking Dead exec Glen Mazzara has given hints about the introduction of the Governor.

The iconic comic book villain will be played by David Morrissey in the zombie drama's upcoming third season.



"He makes a surprising appearance," Mazzara told The Wrap. "I don't want to give anything away as to the exact episode, but the audience will certainly be ready for his appearance - and they won't have to wait too long."

The showrunner added that Morrissey's take on the Governor will be "very complex, nuanced" and "multi-layered".

"This will not be simply an arch villain who is committing an evil act in every scene," he explained. "That's too cartoonish for what we do here. We want that character to feel as real and human and fully developed as possible."

The third season of The Walking Dead will see Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and his gang of survivors take refuge in an industrial prison complex.

"We'll do things on our own time, or when it makes sense for the show," said Mazzara. "And we're definitely looking at this... prison storyline as a long-term arc."

The Walking Dead airs on AMC in the US and FX in the UK.

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Watch a preview video for season three of The Walking Dead below: