The Walking Dead Creator Admits Iconic Negan Line Was a Huge Mistake!

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Summary

  • Negan’s famous quote was a mistake by creator Robert Kirkman due to forgetfulness.
  • Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal of Negan made the character a fan favorite.
  • Negan’s bat, Lucille, was inspired by the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke.

In simple terms, “AMC’s The Walking Dead” is known for having some of the most memorable lines in TV history, ranging from poignant tragedies to uplifting moments. One such line, famously delivered by the show’s antagonist Negan, was unintentionally written and later acknowledged as a mistake by its creator, Robert Kirkman. Examples of these powerful quotes include Carol’s “Look at the Flowers”, Andrea’s emotional speech about accepting pain, and Beth’s moving conversation with Daryl about staying true to oneself. Over the course of its eleven seasons, The Walking Dead has touched viewers deeply with its thought-provoking one-liners.

From his chilling and aggressive debut in season six of The Walking Dead, through to his eventual path towards redemption in later episodes, Negan has consistently been a beloved character among fans. It could be argued that outside of the show, Negan’s behavior wouldn’t be accepted as readily, but within the series, Jeffrey Dean Morgan brought a ruthless, cunning, and occasionally humorous villain to life who was loved by many for his loathsome qualities. With numerous memorable lines and always ready with a snarky retort, one of Negan’s most iconic phrases nearly didn’t make it onto the show.

The Walking Dead’s Most Iconic Negan Quote Was a “Stan Lee Moment”

According to ScreenRant, Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, admitted that Negan’s famous phrase, “Little pig, little pig. Let me in,” was actually an oversight because he had previously used a similar line with a group of marauders in a comic book issue. In The Walking Dead #103, Negan first utters this phrase as he menacingly appears as the big bad wolf to instill fear in Rick and the other survivors. This scene was also mirrored in the television series. However, in the recently published The Walking Dead Deluxe #103, Kirkman explained that Negan’s memorable line was simply a result of him forgetting he had used it before, referring to it as his “Stan Lee moment.

Indeed, it feels reminiscent of a classic Stan Lee reference for me. In the narrative, Negan enters and says, “Little pig, little pig, open the door.” At the moment, I hadn’t recalled a group of marauders using the same phrase approximately 20 issues back. Is such a repetition plausible? Perhaps, considering the limited number of phrases one might use in such situations. Was it deliberate? Absolutely not.

For fans of “The Walking Dead”, here’s an intriguing detail about Negan that also gives a sneak peek into Robert Kirkman’s creative process. Although this might have been annoying for the creator, die-hard franchise enthusiasts will always crave more fascinating insights about Negan. If you’re unfamiliar with Kirkman referring to his “Stan Lee moment”, it’s a nod to Lee’s infamous memory lapses and forgetting characters he created. As a result, Lee employed a technique where the first and last names started with the same letter – similar to Peter Parker, Betty Brant, Otto Octavius, and J. Jonah Jameson in Marvel comics.

In a recent disclosure by the creator of ‘The Walking Dead’, it was revealed that the inspiration for Negan’s bat stemmed from the 1967 film, ‘Cool Hand Luke’. As per Robert Kirkman, he named the bat ‘Lucille’ after this movie. Despite the final episode of ‘The Walking Dead’ airing on November 20, 2022, characters like Negan and others continue to thrive in various spin-offs. To add more turmoil to the infamous “villain”, a new spin-off titled ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City‘ is set to return this year, although an official release date has not been announced yet.

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2025-01-15 18:14