‘Outlander’ Took So Long to Announce the Season 6 Premiere Date — They Are Already Working on Season 7

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Outlander finally announced when the longest Droughtlander in history will officially end.
• Season 6 of the Starz hit will pick up right where season 5 left off.
• Season 7 of Outlander is already in pre-production.

Outlander fans, the wait is almost over. After a painfully long Droughtlander that began in May 2020 when the season 5 finale aired, Starz has officially announced a premiere date for season 6. What’s more, the news of a specific “early 2022” release date comes with the reveal that the writers and producers are already working on season 7.

Season 6 of ‘Outlander’ will pick up right where season 5 left off

The highly anticipated upcoming season of Outlander will pick up right where season 5 left off — after Jamie (Sam Heughan) and the men of Fraser’s Ridge rescued Claire (Caitriona Balfe) from Lionel Brown (Ned Dennehy) and his men.

The story will pick up in 1775, one year before the start of the American Revolutionary War. Not only does the couple have to brace for retaliation from Lionel Brown’s brother, but they also have to confront the impending war and figure out the best course of action for their family.

Jamie and Claire will also get new neighbors at Fraser’s Ridge in season 6 — the Christie family. Tom (Mark Lewis Jones) knows Jamie from their time at Ardsmuir, and he brings along his kids Allan (Alexander Vlahos) and Malva (Jessica Reynolds).

The Christies are ‘not your typical villains’ in the new season

Even though the Christies’ arrival is welcomed initially, they end up being the villains of the season. Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts told Entertainment Weekly that the audience “will find out quickly where all this tension comes from.”

“They are not your typical villains,” Balfe added. “There are so many twists in the tale. It’s very destabilizing for Claire.”

Executive producer Maril Davis said that the Christie’s arrive at Fraser’s Ridge “searching for something, whether that’s salvation, hope, or whatever it is. I’m not sure if they’ll find it.”

‘Outlander’ finally announces a premiere date for season 6

Davis also noted that Jamie and Claire keep thinking they are safe at Fraser’s Ridge. But in season 6, they will be confronted with an ominous question — “What do you do when your home turns against you?” Davis says fans will see how that happens for Jamie and Claire “in their own backyard.” But when, exactly, will that be?

At the recent launch event for Diana Gabaldon’s ninth book in the Outlander series — Go Tell The Bees That I’m Gone — the author announced that fans will see Jamie and Claire’s story continue when Outlander season 6 premieres on Starz on Sunday, March 6, 2022.

The writer’s room is open for season 7

It was previously revealed that season 6 of Outlander will only feature eight episodes, and there are a few reasons why. One reason is that the pandemic delayed production for more than six months. So, when they were finally able to begin in January 2021, they wanted to keep Droughtlander as short as possible. Filming eight episodes instead of 12 and offering fans a truncated season 6 was the best way to make that happen.

That means season 7 will have four extra episodes for a total of 16. Since a regular season of Outlander already takes a year to make, Davis says the writer’s room is already open for season 7. And, it looks like production begins in January 2022.

The ‘Outlander’ training program reveals when filming begins

Outlander has had a training program along with Screen Scotland and ScreenSkills since the show debuted in 2014. It gives people the chance to get experience in television production, and this year’s application process is now open.

There are opportunities available in numerous departments, including production, costumes, and painting. According to the application page, training begins in January 2022. Which is a strong indication that filming for Outlander season 7 will begin around that same time.

That means that the next Droughtlander between seasons 6 and 7 will be significantly shorter. The expectation is that season 7 will premiere in late 2022 or early 2023.

Outlander season 6 premieres on Starz in March 2022.