Andrew Lincoln, who stars as Rick Grimes on AMC's The Walking Dead, may leave the show in Season 9.

Lincoln is only set to appear in six episodes of The Walking Dead Season 9, according to Collider. The report indicates that the fan-favorite Daryl Dixon, played by Norman Reedus, will take over as the show's lead. AMC declined comment when contact by CBR.

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It's not clear what this report could mean for Rick's journey on the drama. The show's ratings have suffered in recent years, with the Season 8 finale being the second lowest-rated in the history of The Walking Dead. Still, the series remains a television juggernaut.

Season 8 saw the high-profile demise of Chandler Riggs’ Carl Grimes, which upset some fans. There are also some doubts about the future of Lauren Cohan's Maggie Rhee, as ABC has reportedly picked up one of her other projects.

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The Walking Dead returns this fall on AMC. The show stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier, Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler, Josh McDermitt as Eugene Porter, Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan.