Shane, Somehow, Is Reportedly Coming Back To 'The Walking Dead'

The Mashable 101 Creator Hub Tech Science Life Social Good Entertainment Deals Shopping Games Search Cancel

• Search Result

The Mashable 101 Creator Hub Tech Apps & Software Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Cryptocurrency Mobile Smart Home Social Media Tech Industry Transportation All Tech Science Space Climate Change Environment All Science Life Family & Parenting Health & Wellness Sex, Dating & Relationships Sleep Careers Mental Health All Life Social Good Activism Gender LGBTQ Racial Justice Sustainability Politics All Social Good Entertainment Games Movies Podcasts TV Shows Watch Guides All Entertainment SHOP THE BEST Laptops Budget Laptops Dating Apps Sexting Apps Hookup Apps VPNs Robot Vaccuums Robot Vaccum & Mop Headphones Speakers Kindles Gift Guides Mashable Choice Mashable Selects All Sex, Dating & Relationships All Laptops All Headphones All Robot Vacuums All VPN All Shopping Games Product Reviews Adult Friend Finder Bumble Premium Tinder Platinum Kindle Paperwhite PS5 vs PS5 Slim All Reviews All Shopping Deals Newsletters VIDEOS Mashable Shows All Videos Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Warning: Spoilers for the second season of The Walking Dead ahead.

The infamous Shane Walsh, one of the earliest villains in The Walking Dead (besides all the zombies), is returning to the show. Somehow.

SEE ALSO: Chris Hardwick's bad statement got people talking about toxic nerd culture

Shane, played by Jon Bernthal, was famously killed twice in the second season of The Walking Dead, first being stabbed by Rick Grimes, and then shot by Rick's son Carl after Shane turned into a zombie. Despite this fact, Shane is coming back seven seasons later according to TV Line.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter Loading... Sign Me Up Use this instead By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

TV Line's report comes after rumors bubbled up about Shane's return to the series and a recent Instagram post showed Bernthal in the same room as series stars Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln.

View this post on Instagram

It's likely that Shane won't make an appearance in the current timeline of the show, given the fact that he's been dead and buried for years and years. It's possible that Shane will appear in a flashback, but it's also possible that he'll be in a hallucination, which happened after his death in the third season.

The third option: an alternate timeline. Lost did it. Why not The Walking Dead? Andrew Lincoln, the star since episode one, is reportedly going to leave the show part way through the next season, so why not make a sharp left and reimagine the series with Shane as the prevailing leader?

We'll find out when Season 9 kicks off, likely in October.

Featured Video For You These extreme Post-it notes will definitely get your point across

Topics The Walking Dead

Kellen Beck

Kellen is a science reporter at Mashable, covering space, environmentalism, sustainability, and future tech. Previously, Kellen has covered entertainment, gaming, esports, and consumer tech at Mashable. Follow him on Twitter @Kellenbeck

Recommended For You Stephen Colbert mocks Trump administration walking back allegations against ICE shooting victim The Trump administration has attempted to walk back its allegations against nurse Alex Pretti, who was shot dead by ICE agents. 01/29/2026 By Amanda Yeo Googling 'Heated Rivalry' triggers this cheeky exchange between Shane and Ilya It's time to refresh your browser. 12 hours ago By Crystal Bell 'Red Dead Redemption' comes to PS5, Xbox, iOS, and Android: How to get it As multiple Mashable editors said this morning, "'Red Dead Redemption' coming to mobile is wild!" 11/14/2025 By Alex Perry Feds investigate Waymo robotaxis for reportedly passing school buses in Austin There have reportedly been 19 incidents since Waymo began operating publicly in Texas. 12/05/2025 By Matt Binder The tiny smartphone that somehow does it all is on sale for $85 A mini marvel for tech lovers. 12/05/2025 By Sponsored by StackCommerce More in Entertainment Doomsday Clock now closest to midnight ever Scientists say we're closer to a human-made global apocalypse than ever, and AI is a significant cause. 01/28/2026 By Amanda Yeo Hurricane Erin: See spaghetti models and track the storm’s path online Hurricane Erin is the first hurricane of the 2025 season 08/15/2025 By Mashable Team Tropical Storm Erin: Spaghetti models track the storm’s path Tropical Storm Erin is predicted to become a hurricane within days. 08/13/2025 By Mashable Team NASA to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, report states Nuclear energy could power future lunar bases and crewed missions. 08/05/2025 By Neal Broverman Perseids meteor shower in July: Viewing tips, when it will peak It's one of the best meteor displays. 07/22/2025 By Lois Mackenzie Trending on Mashable NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 6, 2026 Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #971. 16 hours ago By Mashable Team Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 6, 2026 Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #1693. 16 hours ago By Mashable Team NYT Strands hints, answers for February 6, 2026 Every hint, nudge and outright answer you need to complete today's NYT Strands puzzle. 16 hours ago By Mashable Team 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Targaryen family tree: How everyone connects New Targaryens means a new family tree to learn, but we've got you covered. 18 hours ago By Belen Edwards ChatGPT caricature trend: What it is, prompt to try it. Here's how you can generate your own. 02/04/2026 By Matt Binder The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox. Loading... Sign Me Up Use this instead These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!