The Walking Dead season 8 release date announced ahead of Comic-Con panel

AMC and FOX have confirmed when The Walking Dead will be returning to television screens.

A brand new poster teasing future episodes reveals that season eight of the post-apocalyptic zombie drama will drop on 22 October with its 100th episode special.

The poster shows Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) staring down the villainous Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) teasing the war that commenced at the climax of season seven.

The release date announcement arrives days before cast and crew assemble for a panel at 2017 San Diego Comic-Con where a trailer is expected to be unveiled.

Showrunner Scott Gimple teased the episodes to come after releasing the forthcoming season's first photo showing original characters Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), saying: “The season finale last year, seeing all the characters together interacting as one, was thrilling. Season [eight] is that times a million."

Last week, production was halted following the tragic death of stuntman John Bernecker who fell more than 20 feet off a balcony onto concrete. Cast members including Reedus, Lauren Cohan (Maggie Greene) and Austin Amelio (Dwight) led tributes.

The Walking Dead season eight will premiere in the US on 22 October with its UK premiere landing on FOX in the UK the following evening (23 October).