VARIETY just reported that writer/director Frank Darabont has struck a development deal with AMC to bring Robert Kirkman's comic series THE WALKING DEAD to life as a live-action series.

The article says, "Joel Stillerman, AMC's senior veep of programming, production and original content, said the project appealed to the cabler because of "the quality of the storytelling" in Kirkman's work. The series will stay faithful to the tone of the original novels, he said."

Frank Darabont, best known for his adaptations of Stephen King's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, but no strange to the horror genre having also adapted King's THE MIST and penned the screenplays for 1988's remake of THE BLOB and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: THE DREAM WARRIORS.

The comic, published by Image Comics, has run since 2003 and has with over 60 issues, is written by Robert Kirkman and featured the artwork of Tony Moore and Charles Adlard.