According to TVLine, Katelyn Nacon (Enid), Steven Ogg (Simon), and Pollyanna McIntosh (Jadis) have all been upgraded to series regulars on The Walking Dead. While the eighth season is still six months away from airing, its clear AMC has big plans for Carl’s crush Enid, Negan’s right-hand man Simon, and Scavengers leader Jadis.

These three promotions follow the wake of season seven, which saw a number of central actors depart, including Steven Yuen (Glenn), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham), Austin Nichols (Spencer), and Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha).

Showrunner Scott Gimple revealed that season eight will carry “a different momentum” than previous seasons. Especially now that the various factions – the Saviors, the Alexandrians, the Hilltoppers, etc. – have taken their conflict public.

“It’s going to become a bit more kinetic and fast-moving, because that’s where the story is going. The content is definitely going to be determining the form,” Gimple previewed.