Credit Alan Rickman with virtually birthing the scene-stealing villain with his turn as Hans Gruber in "Die Hard." Since then, everyone wants to see a cool, charismatic and entertaining villain. That doesn't just apply to the movies; it also extends to the small screen.
On AMC's "The Walking Dead," that role is supposed to be filled by Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan. An iconic villain from the source material, Negan's introduction in the show's season six finale was undercut by an ill-advised cliff hanger. Still, fans are excited to see what Morgan can deliver next season.
What can they expect to see from the Big Bad? Actor Seth Gilliam, who plays Father Gabriel, provided a little tease.
"I can say from the little bit that I do know about the upcoming season, there will be lots and lots of tears shed," he said. "I think there will be a good deal of shock; a lot of heartbreak and what I can say is that Negan is far from done."
Season six of "The Walking Dead" teased Negan's arrival at every turn. Season seven is expected to showcase him front and center. Gilliam's character was the only core member of Rick's group to stay behind in Alexandria during the season finale, so we know that he survives into next season. That gives him an added level of authority when discussing what fans can expect to see from Negan.
If Gilliam is to be believed and if the show is willing to present the character in all of his notorious glory, it's expected that a major character will be revealed to be on the receiving end of his barbed wire wrapped baseball bat. We're talking about a Glenn or a Daryl Dixon being killed off in the finale, not just a Rosita or an Abraham.
How closely will AMC stick to the source material? That's yet to be decided. But if they want Negan to go down as one of the best TV villains of all time, they shouldn't pull any of their punches.
"The Walking Dead" will return for a seventh season in October.
