<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> ← Previous Season 6 Next → Season 8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> List of The Walking Dead episodes </Td> </Tr> <P> The seventh season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC, premiered on October 23, 2016, and concluded on April 2, 2017, consisting of 16 episodes . Developed for television by Frank Darabont, the series is based on the eponymous series of comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard . The executive producers are Kirkman, David Alpert, Scott M. Gimple, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Gimple as showrunner for the fourth consecutive season . The seventh season received generally positive reviews by critics . It was nominated for multiple awards and won three, including Best Horror Television Series for the second consecutive year, at the 43rd Saturn Awards . </P> <P> This season adapts material from issues #100--114 of the comic book series and introduces notable comic characters Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and his pet Bengal tiger, Shiva, including more survivor communities: the Kingdom, the Sanctuary, Oceanside, and the Scavengers . Immediately continuing the events of last season's cliffhanger, the season continues the story of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his group of survivors, who now find themselves brutally overpowered and kneeling helplessly before Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the Saviors, as they experience a daunting and life - changing confrontation . What Negan does will haunt and change the lives of those who survive forever . </P>

When does season seven of the walking dead start