AMC announced today the start of production on its highly anticipated new series, Fear the Walking Dead in Vancouver. Additional filming will also take place in Los Angeles at a later date. A companion series to The Walking Dead, the #1 show on television among adults 18-49, Fear the Walking Dead is executive produced by Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, David Alpert and showrunner Dave Erickson and produced by AMC Studios. Co-Executive Producer Adam Davidson, who directed the pilot, is also directing the second and third episodes. The series' first season, consisting of six one-hour episodes, will premiere on AMC in late summer. Here's what Robert Kirkman had to say in a statement.

"Fear the Walking Dead takes us back to the earlier, more dangerous, more terrifying days of The Walking Dead. A time when danger was lurking around every corner and the thing mostly likely to get you killed was your own ignorance of the rapidly changing world around you. The stakes are going to be higher and the ride more intense. We're going to show people all the insanity of civilization crumbling that Rick Grimes slept through. Buckle up."

Executive producer and showrunner Dave Erickson also released his own statement.

"I could not be more thrilled to be continuing on this apocalyptic journey, dramatizing the horrific disintegration of society through the lens of a dysfunctional family. We've assembled a stellar cast and crew to tell our story -- it's going to be a great ride."

Fear the Walking Dead which is set in Los Angeles and focuses on new characters and storylines, stars Kim Dickens (Gone Girl, Sons of Anarchy) as Madison, Cliff Curtis (Missing, Gang Related) as Travis, Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) as Nick and Alycia Debnam Carey (Into the Storm) as Alicia. Also joining the cast as series regulars are Elizabeth Rodriguez (Orange Is the New Black) as Liza and Mercedes Masöhn (Quarantine 2: Terminal) as Ofelia.

AMC Global, the international AMC-branded television network, will air Fear the Walking Dead within 24 hours of the U.S. premiere. AMC Global launched in late 2014 and is available in over 115 countries and territories throughout Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Also today, AMC released an exclusive new behind-the-scenes video from the filming of the pilot episode. Check out the video below, featuring Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Erickson and Greg Nicotero, along with behind-the-scenes footage.