“Outlander” Season 7 premieres in June

March 23, 2023

The second half of the Starz show’s penultimate season will have to wait until 2024.

“Outlander” gives fans a little more time before they have to say goodbye — and gives subscribers more reason to sign up for a full year instead of a few months. The 7th season of the time-traveling romance will be broadcast in two parts, Starz announced on Wednesday, with the first half this year and the second in 2024.

Season 7, as previously announced, consists of 16 episodes, which is the series’ highest order number since Season 1. Like Season 1, which aired in 2014 and 2015, Season 7 will be split into two eight-episode bundles — with “Droughtlander” officially premiering June 16. “Outlander” has already been renewed for a 10-episode 8th season, which is expected to air in 2025 or later.

It is not yet clear whether the show, based on Diana Gabaldon’s historical-fantasy romance novels, will fully adapt the entire saga. So far, each season of “Outlander” has adapted (roughly) one book in the series; Season 7 will cover 2009’s “An Echo in the Bone.” Season 7’s longer run means it can cover more episodes like 2014’s “Written in My Heart’s Blood” and/or 2021’s “Go Tell the Bees that I Am Gone.” Gabaldon reportedly plans to wrap up the novels with a 10th installment, which he is currently writing.

“Outlander” tells the story of Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe), a nurse living in 1945, who is transported back in time to the 18th century, where she falls in love with Highland warrior Jaime Fraser (Sam Heughan). The show follows Claire and Jaime’s relationship as they navigate the real-life Jacobite Rising and other historical events of the era. Currently in the show, Claire and Jaime live in the 18th century, but their daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and her husband Roger MacKenzie (Richard Rankin) have been transported all the way to the 20th century.

Several new cast members joined the series for season seven, including Rod Hallett as real-life US soldier and infamous traitor Benedict Arnold, Gloria Obianyo, Chris Fulton, Charles Vandervaart, Izzy Meikle-Small and Joey Phillips. In addition, two new actors will play two characters already seen in the series: Kristin Atherton will play Jenny Murray, the character previously played by Laura Donnelly, while Diarmaid Murtagh will take over the role of Buck MacKenzie, Graham McTavish’s son Dougal MacKenzie. . McTavish actually played Buck in Season 5.

McTavish returns as Dougal in Season 7; he last played the character in season 2. Other returning cast members include John Bell, David Berry, Caitlin O’Ryan, Paul Gorman, Nell Hudson, Steven Cree, Andrew Whipp, Layle Burns and Lotte Verbeek.

Sam Heughan in “Outlander” Season 7

Robert Wilson

Even after “Outlander” ended with Season 8, the saga of the Fraser family is far from over: Starz has already ordered “Blood of My Blood” from OG series executive producer Matthew B. Roberts. “Blood of My Blood” focuses on Jamie’s parents, Brian and Ellen.

Ronald D. Moore developed “Outlander” for television and executive produces Roberts, Maril Davis, Toni Graphia, Luke Schelhaas, Andy Harries and Jim Kohlberg, along with Balfe and Heughan. The series is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Left Bank Pictures and Story Mining & Supply Company in association with Sony Pictures Television. Both Moore and Davis will executive produce Blood of My Blood.

Starz has released several first-look photos from “Outlander” Season 7. You’ve already seen Balfe at the top of this post and Heughan a few paragraphs up; the other three are below.