Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) has been on the brink of death so many times in "The Walking Dead" only to survive again and again. However, in the aftermath of Carl's (Chandler Riggs) death, rumors that he will finally bite the dust soon have intensified.

In the midseason premiere, Rick was seen bleeding badly, leaning against a tree in the middle of a field and looking like he is about to die. Lincoln has already confirmed that the scene is not a vision or a trick of imagination, leaving fans worried about a Rick-less future. Thankfully, while series creator Robert Kirkman said it will happen at some point, that day may not be as close as everyone thinks.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about Rick's impending demise, Kirkman said he does not expect the show to kill off Rick yet. "That's not an intention, there. I've said from the very beginning that no one is safe," he explained. "I do strongly feel like the show could survive without a Rick Grimes. There's certainly a lot of story to tell without that central character." Per Kirkman, he has been very vocal about killing off Rick in the comic books at some point to prove that no one is safe. However, he says: "I don't think you should read too much into that [scene]."

This confirms that his battered formed underneath such a uniquely decorated tree will not be his final moments. As to when that may ultimately happen, though, is all guesswork for now. What is known so far is that Lincoln has a deal with the AMC zombie series beyond season 8. Sources say all the cast, save for Lauren Cohan (Maggie), extended their contracts for the previously announced season 9 and additional runs to come.

While the show is now entering year nine where most shows start to wrap up, he promised "bigger and better things" for "The Walking Dead." As he teased, "I think the future is bright, and there's a lot of really great material coming up from the comic book, and not from the comic book, that will keep this universe viable for many, many years."

"The Walking Dead" season 9 has no release date at the moment, but the eighth one is currently airing Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on AMC.