The zombie drama's latest run will introduce popular characters The Governor (David Morrissey) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), and the infamous prison setting.
© Taylor Herring
"It's just adding a whole different level," Nicotero told MTV. "It just feels like every season we pick up a couple of new characters and lose a few - you've got to balance that."
Of the iconic moments, the director added: "They're in the graphic novel. I'm happy that three of them are in one of my episodes, so I was happy that I was able to direct them. I get to establish situations that play consistently throughout the rest of the season."
Nicotero - who also serves as the show's chief make-up artist - went on to promise a variety of gruesome 'walker' kills in upcoming episodes.
"Ammunition is valuable - more valuable than anything else," he said. "The walker kills in season three tend to be a lot more hand-to-hand, so you have to get in close proximity to them.
"So, with that said, there's a lot of crowbars and there's a lot of hammers and there's a lot of crushed heads and smashed-in heads and axes and machetes and stuff like that."
> 'Walking Dead' director: 'New episodes feel like first season'
The Walking Dead will return to FX in the UK and AMC in the US next month.
