'The Walking Dead' season 7 spoilers, news: Andrew Lincoln talks about show's tonal shift; new promo image shows Rick and Maggie appealing to Gregory

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) had seen enough, and he is ready to fight back when "The Walking Dead" returns for its seventh season next month.

After witnessing Spencer have his guts spilled out and Aaron helplessly get beat up, the back half of season 7 will see Rick rising up to the show's big bad, Negan (Jeffery Dean Morgan). That means viewers should look forward to a new show and a whole new Rick Grimes when the series picks up in February. Lincoln recently caught up with Entertainment Weekly, and he teased that fans can expect to see a tonal shift in the story.

"It's probably the opposite of what you just witnessed," the actor said. "Certainly from Rick's point of view. You see a man in action again with some of the members of his closest family," he added.

With a war coming up, Lincoln added that the future episodes will see more levity in Rick now that the group is working closely together to reach a common goal. "There's sort of a freedom in him, a feeling that comes from losing everything, and also the thrill of the fight. It's the thrill of the fight again," Lincoln hinted, adding, "He's back in. All I'm saying is that the band is back together."

Rick and the rest of the characters will be ready to fight Negan, but what the heroes will find more difficult than defeating the Saviors will be convincing Gregory (Xander Berkeley) to join them. AMC released a first look at the second half of season 7, and it shows Maggie's Hilltop visitors appealing to Gregory to take part in the rebellion. Daryl (Norman Reedus), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Carl (Chandler Riggs), and Tara (Alanna Masterson) are determined to end Negan's reign of terror, but as expected, the weaselly Hilltop leader gives a look that suggests his main concern is protecting himself.

"The Walking Dead" season 7 returns on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.