Just a few episodes into season six, AMC has ensured that its massively popular zombie drama "The Walking Dead" will return for a seventh season. The Hollywood Reporter has word of the renewal, and notes that a 16-episode seventh season would see the Robert Kirkman-created zombie drama pass "Mad Men" as AMC's longest-running original series.

The news isn't a surprise, given that in its current sixth season, the show -- based on the Image Comics series of the same name by Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard -- has remained a ratings juggernaut. Though it's slipped in some benchmarks from last season, with Live + 3 DVR numbers factored in, this month's season six premiere attracted 19.5 million total viewers and 12.9 million in the key 18-49 demographic.

The show's companion series, "Fear The Walking Dead," debuted on AMC this past summer and was renewed for a second season before its series premiere aired.

"The Walking Dead" airs 9 p.m. Sundays on AMC.