The Walking Dead: Michael Rooker Claims Merle Dixon Was Killed Off Because AMC Was 'Cheap'

It's been several years since Michael Rooker played Merle Dixon on The Walking Dead.

The character was killed off on The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 15, and the actor has opened up about his thoughts on being written out of the AMC hit.

Rooker has suggested that the exit was down to financial reasons, according to CBR.

While attending a panel at Wales Comic Con, Rooker got straight to the point about how he was feeling about the way his character was written out.

"I don’t prefer either. I made more money on Guardians [of the Galaxy]," Rooker said of his role as Yond," before turning his attention to The Walking Dead and AMC.

"Walking Dead, they were cheap. AMC was very cheap," he said, adding, "That’s probably why they killed me off, because they knew I was gonna get more money the next season."

It's not uncommon for characters to be written out of TV shows, and The Walking Dead has said goodbye to several beloved characters over the years.

However, it is uncommon for actors to call network executives "cheap." The Walking Dead is a global phenomenon that has been on the air for almost a decade, and has spawned spinoffs, movies, and other tie-ins.

If you watch The Walking Dead online, you know Rooker played the brother of Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus). Merle was left on a roof to die during The Walking Dead Season 1.

However, the character popped back up on The Walking Dead Season 3, and the show revealed that he was working with the Governor (David Morrissey).

Daryl wanted his brother to help his group against the Governor, but it was always difficult to tell who he was truly working with.

The Governor ultimately murdered Merle, but Daryl was tasked with putting his brother down when he became a zombie.

AMC has yet to respond to the claims, but given that the actor has not been on the show for years, there's a good chance the network will not comment on it.