Frank – we expected this from you. You quit your own show amid criticisms over the writing and presumable conflicts with AMC execs.

But Variety? You’re better than this. I know you have an obligation to report the news, but when you have to spoil our favorite TV to do it, you should take a long look in the mirror, Bub, and see what you’ve become.

Variety has recently reported that Frank Darabont has begun wooing actor Jon Bernthal to star in his upcoming series L.A. Noir. The big issue here is that Bernthal is currently playing Shane on The Walking Dead, so either Darabont is really good at persuading people to do stuff, or Bernthal is getting killed off the show and is available for other pursuits.

It’s unlikely that Bernthal would leave voluntarily for another unproven show, given the huge success of The Walking Dead, so that sort of leads one to believe that he’s going to be killed off.

To be fair to both parties, I don’t know how this could have been kept a secret. It’s not like Darabont was advertising this news – Variety found out about it on their own. And Variety is in the business of reporting entertainment news, so I can’t really fault them for doing their jobs. I am going to say the fault here lies with Jon Bernthal for being such a top-notch actor.

Stop bein’ so amazing, Jon!

In the film, The Rock stars as the owner of a construction company who becomes snitch for the DEA in order to reduce his son’s prison sentence. Bernthal will play his employee, an ex-con who is forced by his boss to introduce him to an underground drug dealer. Bernthal is expected to blink a whole bunch and avoid direct eye contact. Acting!! (Deadline)