The wait for The Walking Dead season 7 is nearing its end but showrunners have warned fans that the premiere episode dives into a "very deep, dark, cold place." It is a known fact that Negan will kill a major and popular character of the show but according to episode 1 director Greg Nicotero, the filming was beyond heartbreaking for the cast and the crew.

"It was by far the most emotional episode that I've ever shot. Where we left these characters at the end of season 6 is, they've been broken. Their world has literally become smaller and smaller and trapped them, and now they're in a situation that they've never been in before where the cavalry is not coming over the hill," he told Entertainment Weekly.

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In season 5, Carol emerged as the hero who saves her team from the cannibal group led by Gareth. But Nicotero made it clear that this time no such twist will happen and the group has to go through the painful ordeal of watching their team member die at the hands of the notorious villain Negan.

"Carol is not going to show up and blow up the propane tank outside of Terminus. These things aren't going to happen, and it's just devastating," he said and added that that the episode is intense. "It was uncomfortable, and it was raw, and the emotion was real. And having to do take 2 or take 3 or take 4 and watching these people just in sheer agony was not a pleasant experience, to just watch what was happening. But that's where they needed to go to exhibit the emotion. So it was a really intense."

The season 6 finale was shot from the victim's point of view, hence fans couldn't see his/her face while Negan unleashed his wrath on the victim. The showrunner claims that the death scene will be much more intense than it was in the comic book written by Robert Kirkman.

"And there's some great drama that stems from that exact moment. Without giving too much away, it's even more than the comic book, because in the comic book it's kind of abrupt, and it's over, and there's a little, 'Okay, I'll see you guys in a week. We'll be by to get half our share.' There's more to it," the showrunner added.

AMC zombie thriller, The Walking Dead season 7, will premiere on 23 October.