Cinemax lands Walking Dead creator Kirkman drama

US premium cable net Cinemax has put a pilot for Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman’s new sci-fi drama into pre-production.

Kirkman developed the series, Outcast, with Fox International Channels at the same time as working on a comic book series of the same name through his Skybound label last year.

HBO-backed Cinemax has now greenlit production of a pilot, which marks the first time Kirkman himself has penned a series opener. He will executive producer alongside former HBO programming boss Sue Naegle, Chris Black, FIC’s Sharon Tal Yguado and David Alpert from Walking Dead coproducer Circle of Confusion.

Outcast follows a young man that has been plagued by possession since childhood, who uncovers information that could mean the end of the world.

For FIC, Outcast is its latest example of a strategy to launch character-driven drama shows in the US that can run across its networks in 125 territories.

FIC first worked with Kirkman on the international roll-out of AMC’s The Walking Dead (pictured), which is the biggest-rating cable drama of all time.