We have a new trailer for The Walking Dead season 9, highlighting what's to come on the show's mid-season premiere. Even though the hit series will be away for several months following the mid-season finale, AMC didn't make fans wait for a preview of what's in store during the back half of this landmark season. There's a new enemy in town in the form of The Whisperers and they're set to shake things up for the survivors in a big, bad way.

Warning: spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead season 9 mid-season finale. We got our first taste of The Whisperers at the very end of the most recent episode, who killed Jesus (Tom Payne) and left Michonne and the gang surrounded in something of a cliffhanger. While this new trailer doesn't quite resolve that cliffhanger, we see some of the aftermath of this first encounter, including a funeral, presumably for Jesus, as well as what this new threat brings to the table. As if Walkers weren't bad enough.

This season has been all about doing away with the status quo. The series lead, Andrew Lincoln, who portrayed Rick Grimes ever since the pilot episode, has departed for good and is off to shoot a trilogy of Walking Dead movies instead. Lauren Cohan is also gone, for now at least, as Maggie. The show also made a major leap forward in time and, as we see in this new trailer, one of the most creative and unique threats to arrive in a very long time is going to be coming for those on The Hilltop. Showrunner Angela Kang had this to say about what to expect in the season 9 premiere in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

"We pick things up pretty quickly on top of where we left off, and our people are there and they obviously are gonna have to fight their way out. But they will make yet another strange and shocking discovery along the way within the episode, and the story kind of unfolds from there. We'll also get to see what exactly is going on with Negan, now that he's stepped out of his cell. He gets his jail-break, and he goes out there in the world. So I think there's some really cool stuff coming up with Jeffrey as Negan in the next episode as well as just in that main story having to do with the Whisperers and that unfolding narrative that happens."

There are still many questions that need answering and, despite ratings declines, it's clear that this isn't the same old show many fans grew tired of over the past couple of seasons. Will these changes be enough to win back viewers? That remains to be seen, but those who have stuck around may be rewarded with something that feels new. The Walking Dead season 9 is set to return on Sunday, February 10. Be sure to check out the new mid-season premiere trailer from the AMC YouTube channel below.