Jon Bernthal is the first actor to sign aboard AMC's zombie-apocalypse pilot "The Walking Dead."

Greenlite to begin filming May 15, the AMC pilot will lens in Atlanta. It's based on Robert Kirkman's poignant comic about a zombie apocalypse, and follows Kentucky police officer Rick Grimes as he leads his family and a group of survivors in search of a safe home.

Bernthal ("The Ghost Writer," "Eastwick") will play Grimes' partner and friend Shane, an outgoing bachelor.

Frank Darabont ("The Mist," "The Green Mile") is writing and directing the pilot, with Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Motion Pictures and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion executive producing along with Darabont and Kirkman.

Image Comics has published 11 volumes of "The Walking Dead" since 2003.