By Dakota Cantwell

“The Walking Dead” has announced Ryan Hurst and Samantha Morton as lead villains for season 9.

Ryan Hurst, better known for his role as Opie Winston in “Sons of Anarchy”, has been cast for a recurring role as Beta, lieutenant of the Whisperers.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Beta is the strong and silent type, a brute force of nature. What he lacks in expressiveness, he makes up for with intense physicality, as well as intense loyalty — especially to Alpha.”

Samantha Morton will be portraying the Whisperers’ leader, Alpha. Morton is known for her role in “Minority Report” and more recently for her portrayal of Mary Lou in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”.

“The Walking Dead” series will follow the same storyline as the comics by following up the Negan story with the Whisperers.

The Whisperers are a group of survivors from the comics who wear zombie skins to blend in as the walk among the zombie herds.