From HNGN:

Some disappointing news for fans that thought “The Walking Dead” spinoff show “Fear The Walking Dead” would separate itself from its predecessor: there still won’t be any answers about how the zombie virus actually started.

“Fear The Walking Dead” has been billed as a (sort of) prequel to “The Walking Dead” so viewers were hoping to get more information regarding the initial zombie virus outbreak. The early phases of the virus and societal breakdown would make for fascinating examinations of human nature but producer and comic creator Robert Kirkman revealedthat there are no plans to delve into “Patient Zero.”

During a NAB panel with AMC President Charlie Collier and actor Steven Yeun (Glenn), Kirkman expressed his disapproval for “fixing” or “learning the cause” of the outbreak because he finds those story lines hackneyed. Instead, this companion series will center on the struggles of the characters.

Kirkman noted that the spinoff “pays homage” to the original but teased that “it’s possible that the people that we’re following in the show are maybe a little bit more deadly in certain ways. “Fear The Walking Dead” will premiere sometime this summer.