The Walking Dead's spin-off series, Fear The Walking Dead, is set to air this summer but for those who are sceptical about the new show, director Greg Nicotero has promised fans it will not be a "carbon copy" of the original series and will offer a new perspective into the zombie apocalypse.

Hours before The Walking Dead's season five finale aired on Fox, IBTimes UK spoke to Andrew Lincoln who plays group leader Rick Grimes, and Nicotero - also a special effects make-up designer - at London's Soho Hotel, where they discussed the direction of the spin-off.

Nicotero, 52, said: "It's really fascinating. What we've been able to do is we've been able to craft a show that lives in a universe but feels like a completely different show. We didn't want a carbon copy of The Walking Dead because that wouldn't be prudent. I just don't think it would have made a lot of sense.

"So having the show set in Los Angeles [and] at a completely different time as walkers are beginning to take over the world... The idea, much like our show, it's really about the relationships and about the families and how they handle it and deal with it, so it's fascinating."

The first teaser has been released for the new series and hints it will take place before the zombie infection has wiped out the majority of the population. A news reporter can be heard informing the public of a virus taking over five states, while encouraging everyone to get a flu shot.

The Walking Dead's season five finale saw the survivors clash with the group at Alexandria after days of tension building between the two sides. British actor Lincoln explained the parallel between the groups.

He said: "I also love the fact that we've moved to a civilisation. I think it really deepens the show and it feels like we're moving into a new area where you find a man who is very hard-lined and we are damaged goods. We've come into this community and it's like we are the poison and they're a bunch of innocents."

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