The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – Norman Reedus opens up about Season 3’s changes and Daryl’s journey 

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is back for the third season now, with a dramatic change in its plot, moving from the grim aftermath of France to colourful Spain. The spinoff of AMC’s zombie flagship has rebooted with every Season maintaining its survivalist ethos along with a steady rotation of new settings and cultural dynamics.

It is a switch from the first two Seasons, which saw audiences plopped into the French setting, complete with iconic locales like the Louvre, offering the chance at some unforgettable imagery.

With the story growing in scope and changing in mood, Season 3 ensures that this is the beginning of a new chapter, where Daryl can be both a continuation and a celebration of the vast universe of The Walking Dead.

Norman Reedus reflects on Season 3 of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon

Norman shared his thoughts on the new season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, what it is about, and the energy of Spain that shapes both the landscape and Daryl’s mood. And comparing the atmosphere of both France and Spain, Reedus told CBR:

“France has lots of purples, golds, and burgundies. Spain has a very Western vibe to it. There are oranges and yellows, and the lighting is different. Spanish people love to talk. They love to talk a lot. They like to use their hands. They want to talk all day. French people not so much. Americans probably not at all. There’s a different energy there. There’s a passion in Spain.”

The atmosphere of Spain sets a sunnier, more western tone in the apocalyptic world, adding some new faces and dynamics with veterans Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon) and Melissa McBride (Carol Peletier) returning for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

Speaking about Daryl’s transformation, Reedus added:

“He’s gone through all these peaks and valleys to get to a point where he’s finally looking at himself in the mirror and saying, ‘Maybe you deserve something good. Maybe you can settle down and not have to look over your shoulder, and you can stop running.’”

Reflecting on the character that he played for so many years, Daryl admitted that he is unsure of the character arc of Daryl in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon expands its story behind the scenes

Reedus may have become the face of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, but the behind-the-scenes team has played just as much of a part in transforming the spinoff. The first two seasons of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon were shot on location all over France in 160 days of shooting, Variety reported, including at Mont-Saint-Michel and in the Louvre, where zombies materialised in front of the Mona Lisa.

AMC's first choice was Ireland, but French producers Raphael Benoliel and Augustin de Belloy persuaded the network to film exclusively in France, thanks in part to tax incentives and capable local labour.

To bring some veracity to his undead world, Greg Nicotero set up a “zombie school” in France, where actors were taught for days to shuffle and grunt and were then modified into various layers of onscreen zombies in makeup. For The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3, this effort went down in Spain with an all-new cast of performers.

According to Raphael Benolie:

“It’s full of Spanish zombies now!”

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The shift to Spain also let the show take on a Western look, turning to sun-drenched deserts and iconic landscapes. Reedus himself welcomed the return to his bike and the western vibe, singling out one of the desert-set episodes as his favourite of the Season.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon continues to evolve, yet still manages to be as emotional and thematically dense as the element that has been driving the franchise for over a decade. Change and continuity are the themes of Season 3, which sees Daryl’s progression embodied in Norman Reedus’s commanding performance in a story that feels even smaller as it expands.

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