The Walking Dead Creator Reveals Movie Inspiration Behind Negan’s Bat

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Summary

  • Negan from The Walking Dead transformed from a villain to somewhat of an antihero in the final seasons.
  • Lucille, Negan’s bat, took its name from the classic movie Cool Hand Luke.
  • The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 may see Negan revert to his destructive self, as indicated in the latest trailer.

Negan debuted during the sixth season of “The Walking Dead,” and since then, this ruthless and self-centered antagonist has been nothing short of a living nightmare for Rick Grimes and his team. Despite his appalling actions that warrant numerous criticisms, Negan evolved into something of an antihero in the latter seasons of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” After spending seven and a half years behind bars in Alexandria, he began to show signs of change.

In the TV series The Walking Dead, Negan is well-known for his eerie whistle, a tactic used to instill fear and establish his power. Interestingly, his infamous bat, Lucille, has held an equally significant role in the show. After losing his wife to suicide due to her long-standing battle with pancreatic cancer, Negan found solace by naming his bat after her, as a way to keep her memory alive and find strength. However, Lucille’s name didn’t originate from this tribute; it had a different initial origin.

Negan’s Bat in The Walking Dead Was Named After a Classic 1967 Movie

According to Screen Rant, the gruesome bat wielded by “The Walking Dead” character Negan – often dripping with blood – was named ‘Lucille’ due to an inspiration from the 1967 film, “Cool Hand Luke,” as revealed by the series creator Robert Kirkman. During a comic issue where fans could ask questions, someone inquired whether Lucille got its name from an episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” or the late blues musician B.B. King’s guitars, but neither were accurate, as Kirkman clarified that it was influenced by the classic movie starring Paul Newman and Dennis Hopper.

For individuals who may not have watched the timeless film or are unfamiliar with it, the movie “Cool Hand Luke” narrates the tale of Lucas “Luke” Jackson, a man sentenced to manual labor on a chain gang in 1950s Florida following a minor crime. A scene that particularly resonated with Kirkman is when Paul Newman’s character Luke and his cellmates watch a woman washing her car, a sight they found intriguing. This memorable scene left an impression on Kirkman, as he mentioned, “Lucille was on my mind due to the scene in Cool Hand Luke,” which would later inspire Negan’s ruthless villain from the comic series, Lucille.

It’s not unreasonable to assume that some viewers might pine for the old Negan, with his mix of mischievous and malevolent antics, judging by the latest trailer for The Walking Dead: Dead City. If the preview is a sign of things to come in its second season this year, it looks like Negan might return to his destructive ways now that he’s back with his bat. Fans of Dead City can look forward to catching up on the show when the new season airs later this year.

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2025-01-14 18:38