Zombies have come early this fall. AMC’s “The Walking Dead” won't premiere its fourth season until Oct. 12, but Syfy is taking a stab at the zombie apocalypse this year with the Sept. 12 premiere of their new original series, “Z Nation.”

Syfy’s latest project is being produced by The Asylum, the production company behind the network’s infamous “Sharknado” franchise, and has Karl Schaefer (“Eureka”) on board as executive producer and showrunner. Check out seven things to know about “Z Nation” before the Syfy series premieres on Friday, Sept. 12, at 10 p.m. EDT:

1. Season 1 -- “Z Nation” will feature a 13-episode freshman season and will depict the “epic struggle to save humanity after a zombie apocalypse.”

2. Cast -- The cast of “Z Nation” includes Harold Perrineau (“Lost”), Tom Everett Scott (“Beauty and the Beast”), DJ Qualls (“Supernatural”), Michael Welch (“Twilight”), Kellita Smith (“The Bernie Mac Show”), Anastasia Baranova (“The Darkness II”), Russell Hodgkinson (“Big Fish”) and Keith Allan (“Rise of the Zombies”).

3. Where We Start Off -- While “The Walking Dead” begins at the start of the zombie apocalypse, “Z Nation” will be set three years into the spread of the deadly virus. The series will follow a group of survivors as they transport “the only known survivor of the plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood.” The twist? The survivor has a dark secret that could threaten them all.

4. Premiere Synopsis -- According to Syfy, episode 1 of “Z Nation” will be set in upstate New York. The premiere, titled “Puppies and Kittens,” will find a “zombie baby” acting as an obstacle for a “diverse group of survivors as they head cross country in hopes of creating a cure for the undead condition.”

5. The Difference Between “Z Nation” and “The Walking Dead” -- How will “Z Nation” differ from AMC’s hit series, “The Walking Dead”? Showrunner Karl Schaefer told SpoilerTV that they’re not trying to follow on the heels of other zombies shows.

“We have a sense of hope and humor, and put the fun back in zombies,” Schaefer said. “Our characters are traveling every week. They aren’t just hunkering down -- they take the fight to the zombies. They aren’t afraid of them. There is a lot of black humor and social satire. The characters have somewhere to go and something to do.”

6. “Z Nation” Trailer -- Watch the trailer below to get a look the zombie apocalypse chaos:

7. Sneak Peek Video -- Watch the three sneak peek clips that give viewers a taste of the “Z Nation” humor:

“Z Nation” will premiere on Syfy on Friday, Sept. 12, at 10 p.m. EDT. Will you be tuning in? Take the poll and tweet your thoughts to @AmandaTVScoop.

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