With The Walking Dead’s eighth season now in the bag, a few familiar faces have been bumped up to series regulars ahead of the genre juggernaut’s upcoming ninth year.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Avi Nash and Callan McAuliffe will be promoted from recurring roles to series regulars for Season 9. Nash plays Siddiq, a comic book character tweaked and turned in to a doctor for the small screen, while McAuliffe plays Alden, a member of Negan’s Saviors who surrendered himself to Maggie the Hilltop. Given that many see Alden as the show’s spin on the comic book Dante character, it could well be that his relationship with Maggie will take a turn for the romantic as the show progresses, although that’s purely speculation right now.

The Walking Dead will premiere its ninth season this October.