Outlander season 7: Release date, trailer, and latest news
Starz has announced an extended season 7, featuring 16 episodes.
It felt like a long wait but Claire and Jamie Fraser have finally returned for the highly-anticipated seventh season of the beloved fantasy drama Outlander.
The new season – which is set to be the show's penultimate run – began with first episode A Life Well Lost on Friday 16th June, and now the second installment The Happiest Place on Earth has also debuted.
It's safe to say that the new episode's shock ending left some fans in disbelief, and in a recent interview with Glamour stars Sam Heughan discussed the "emotional" moment (which we won't spoil here) while executive producer Maril Davis said that "I cry every time I watch" one scene in the episode.
The seventh season was officially commissioned back in March 2021, and is based on Diana Gabaldon’s novel An Echo in the Bone, with Starz announcing an extended season 7, featuring 16 episodes, though only the first batch of eight episodes will be released this year.
As fans of Gabaldon's book series will know, season 7 will see the Frasers tackle the impending American Revolution, but there'll also be plenty of surprises in store, with Sophie Skelton, who plays Brianna Randall, recently teasing that "the storylines aren’t necessarily the expected ones."
Balfe also previously revealed exclusively to RadioTimes.com that there will be a lot of peril in store for season 7.
Balfe revealed: "It was such an epic season. And there's just so much that happens this year. But yeah, well hopefully, I think the fans will be happy.
"There’s a lot of peril this season and a lot of things happen," before also stating, "There’s a lot of loss and things are unsettled. It’s just very epic, this season."
The new season will introduce a host of new characters, including the grown-up version of Jamie’s bastard son William (Charles Vandervaart) and Quaker brother and sister duo Denzell (Joey Phillips) and Rachel Hunter (Izzy Meikle-Small).
While rumours previously swirled that season 7 could have been the last season of the show, Starz has now confirmed Outlander will return for an eighth and final season consisting of 10 episodes, bringing Jamie and Claire’s TV story to an end once and for all, though the saga of the Fraser family is set to live on in a brand new Outlander prequel series that has been given the green light.
But for now, read on for everything you need to know about Outlander season 7, including when it's coming out.
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Outlander season 7 release date
Outlander season 7 premiered on Friday 16th June 2023 on Lionsgate+ with the first episode out of eight. New episodes will then be released each Friday.
Filming started in April 2022 for the new episodes, and there will be more than usual, with the new season being comprised of 16 episodes. The new season will air both on Starz in the US and Lionsgate+ in the UK.
Speaking about the eighth and final season of Outlander, Kathryn Busby, president of original programming at Starz, said: “For nearly a decade, Outlander has won the hearts of audiences worldwide and we’re pleased to bring Claire and Jamie’s epic love story to a proper conclusion.
“But before we close this chapter, there is plenty of their passionate story to tell over the course of 26 new episodes and even more to explore of this dynamic world and its origin story. We’re thrilled to continue to partner with [showrunner] Matthew Roberts, [and executive producers] Maril Davis and Ronald Moore and can’t wait to see where their alluring storytelling takes us next.”
How to watch Outlander season 7 on Amazon Prime Video
Outlander season 7 will eventually be available to stream on Lionsgate+, which is a 'channel' on Amazon Prime Video that costs an extra £5.99 per month on top of your Amazon Prime subscription (£7.99 per month).
Alternatively, you can enjoy a 30-day free trial of the service through Amazon. Download the Lionsgate+ app directly and you'll get a free 7-day trial.
Who will star in Outlander season 7?
Outlander season 7 will see the return of the majority of main Outlander cast members, including:
- Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall Fraser
- Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser
- Richard Rankin as Roger Wakefield
- Sophie Skelton as Brianna Randall
- John Bell as Young Ian
- David Berry as Lord John Grey
- Caitlin O’Ryan as Lizzie
- Paul Gorman as Josiah and Keziah Beardsley
- Graham McTavish as Dougal MacKenzie
- Nell Hudson as Laoghaire Fraser
- Chris Larkin as Richard Brown
- Mark Lewis Jones as Tom Christie
- Glen Gould as Chief Bird
- Simon R. Baker as Still Water
- Steven Cree as Ian Murray
- David Berry as Lord John Grey
- Lotte Verbeek as Geillis Duncan
- Andrew Whipp as Brian Fraser
- Layla Burns as Joan MacKimmmie
The latest trailer revealed some new additions to the season 7 cast as well, including Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom, Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter, and Joey Phillips as Denzell Hunter.
Season 6 saw some major additions to the central cast, including Mark Lewis Jones, Alexander Vlahos and Jessica Reynolds in the antagonist roles of Tom Christie, Allan Christie and Malva Christie.
However, Jessica Reynolds will not be reprising the role for the seventh season, following a major plot twist that killed off Malva Christie – although her death will no doubt overshadow the start of next season.
Is Outlander ending with season 8?
Sadly, it is. It was confirmed on Thursday 19th January 2023 that Outlander had been commissioned for an eighth and final season, which will be made up of 10 episodes.
Kathryn Busby, president of original programming for Starz, said: "For nearly a decade Outlander has won the hearts of audiences worldwide and we’re pleased to bring Claire and Jamie’s epic love story to a proper conclusion.
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"But before we close this chapter there is plenty of their passionate story to tell over the course of 26 new episodes and even more to explore of this dynamic world and its origin story."
Despite this sad news, fans shouldn't get too upset, as we won't be leaving the Outlander universe entirely. Alongside the renewal announcement, it was officially confirmed that a 10-episode prequel series has been ordered, called Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
This new prequel will centre on the lives and relationship of Jamie Fraser’s parents, Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie, with Matthew B Roberts – showrunner and executive producer on both shows – saying: "Jamie and Claire’s TV story may be coming to an end with season 8, but Diana is continuing on with their literary journey in her wonderful book series and is working diligently on book 10.
"With Jamie and Claire, and now Brian and Ellen, there is still so much more to come in the Outlander universe, and we cannot wait to continue sharing these stories with our dedicated fans."
Outlander season 7 trailer
Starz previously released the first trailer for Outlander season 7, giving fans a first glimpse at the upcoming instalment as Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) continue to navigate the New World.
The trailer also teases some new faces appearing in the upcoming season, including Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom, Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter, and Joey Phillips as Denzell Hunter.
Watch below:
Outlander is available to stream on Starz in the US and on Lionsgate+ in the UK. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon.
If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Drama hub for more news and features.
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