'The Walking Dead' season 9: The Whisperers confirmed as new villain faction

The Whisperers are the new villains in “The Walking Dead” season 9. After months of speculation by the fans about the new faction being introduced on the show, it has finally been confirmed with two major casting announcements.

According to a report by Collider, “Sons of Anarchy” star Ryan Hurst has been cast as Beta, a character who is a member of the Whisperers, and is the second in command. Previously, Samantha Morton was cast as Alpha, the leader of the villainous faction.

According to Robert Kirkman’s comics, on which the TV series is based, the Whisperers are a mysterious cult of people who have found a strange way of adapting to the zombie infested post-apocalyptic world.

The Whisperers wear zombie skin to blend in with the zombies, and they talk to each other in brief whispers. They live in camps, where they grow livestock, and live as a community. The group also doesn’t kill the zombies, and instead just prefers to blend in with them.

There will be a time jump in the next season. The heroes will be travelling to Washington, D.C., where the Whisperers live. In the comics, it was Carl who has close relations with this group. It remains to be seen how the villains will interact with the heroes, and how the eventual war will begin.

The introduction of the Whisperers is significant for the show because it comes at a time when there have been some high profile exits, and more departures have been planned. The most significant exit in season 9 will be that of Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes). Lauren Cohan (Maggie) may also leave after a few episodes.

“The Walking Dead” season 9 is set to premiere on Oct. 7. There will be a new look and feel to the show after the time jump, with the heroes relying more on horses for transport.

Credit: Ryan Hurst/ Twitter