Fans of the fantasy-period drama Outlander have been waiting a very long time for the premiere of season six, and while there are still several months before new episodes are set to air, we're getting closer. The season five series finale of the show, which is based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon, aired on May 10, 2020, so it's now been well over a year, and thanks to production delays caused by the health crisis, it's going to be a bit longer. But details about the upcoming season of the popular series are starting to come out — and yippee, it's looking good!
While fans of the sexy series will have to endure what they've dubbed the "droughtlander" just a bit longer, Starz is slowly releasing images and additional details about what we can expect from Outlander's next season to keep viewers interested. It's not at all uncommon to lose viewership during a prolonged hiatus, so they've gotta give us something or risk their future ratings.
Once you see these pictures, you aren't likely to want to jump ship, though — we promise! Season six is looking just as adventurous, lush, and romantic as ever. Just so you're good and prepared for the premiere when the time finally comes, we're sharing everything we know about the new season. Keep scrolling for all the intel.
Waiting a While
There's usually a significant gap between seasons of Outlander, but this time around, it's even longer thanks to the production delays that affected the TV and film industries throughout 2020. Though there's no exact premiere date yet, we know that season six has been pushed back to some time in the beginning of 2022. That sounds so far away!
Multiple Holdups
Between health concerns and safety measures, and then having to deal with unpredictable winter weather in Scotland where the show is filmed, it's understandable that production was delayed for so long. The series has a lot of outdoor scenes, so inclement weather is obviously problematic.
Filming Is Finished
June 1 is World Outlander Day. In celebration, Starz announced season six's impending return and revealed that filming would wrap that same week. So at this point, it should be in the bag. Now that the next season is in post-production, there shouldn't be too many more delays.
Short & Sweet
Well, maybe not so sweet. Season six will be just eight episodes instead of the usual 12 or 13 that all of the past seasons have been. So yes, fans are waiting an extra-long time for an extra-short season. But the season premiere will be a 90-minute episode, so at least there's that to look forward to.
They'll Make Up for It
Although season six will be just the eight episodes, Starz has already announced that to make up for it, season seven will be extended to have 16 episodes. Rather than wait longer to release season six, the network chose to go with the limited season and roll the last few planned episodes into the next season.
Keep It Moving
"Filming in 2021 has presented an unprecedented set of challenges, which led us to the decision to truncate the season in order to bring the fans the most vibrant and dynamic season as soon as possible," showrunner Matthew B. Roberts said in an official statement. "Dinna fash (Scottish for 'don't worry'), we will then film an extended season seven with 16 episodes next year as life returns to normalcy."
Familiar Faces
Fan favorite characters including Claire (Caitriona Balfe), Jamie (Sam Heughan), Brianna (Sophie Skelton), Roger (Richard Rankin), and Ian (John Bell) will all be reprising their roles in season six. Plus, a slate of new characters will make their debut on Outlander during the upcoming episodes.
More To Love
Outlander fans will also see at least a few brand-new characters added to the show. Cast members will include Jessica Reynolds as Malva Christie, Mark Lewis Jones as Tom Christie, and Alexander Vlahos as Allan Christie. There's much to see about how these new characters will play into the storylines, so it should be interesting.
All in the Family
That's right! All of the new Outlander characters that have been announced so far are related. The Christies include a father and his two older children, who are new residents of Fraser's Ridge looking for a place to settle down after a tumultuous time in their lives. But fans can expect some drama.
Tom's Daughter
We do know that Malva, the new character played by the up-and-coming young actress Jessica Reynolds, and Tom, played by Mark Lewis Jones, are daughter and father. Malva is quite a progressive character for the time, who often finds herself at odds with her much more traditional father.
Ardsmuir History
Fraser's Ridge's newest residents do have a connection, though. Tom Christie and the show's lead character, Jamie, were prisoners at Ardsmuir at the same time, and apparently they weren't exactly the best of friends. This relationship tension should make for an interesting dynamic on the Ridge throughout season six.
Coming Into His Own
Alexander Vlahos will play the third member of the Christie family, Allen. Allen has a sort-of-coming-of-age story and is in the middle of trying to establish his place not only in his family, but in life. As he navigates his role, he proves to be very protective of both his sister and his father.
Costume Confusion
The show's costumer, Trisha Biggar, didn't know when production was going to start and after waiting a while, she decided to just get started and make it work. "We had started prep, and we're just moving slowly with that at the minute," she told Town & Country in 2020. "Sorting some fabrics and looking at shapes, but nothing very definite yet. We don't have a lot of information about what's happening when, or to who."
She added: "So we just started moving forward with it. It's quite nice in a way. We have time to chat and think about it. You know, we could think of this, think of that once you have more ideas when we start back."
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Season six is reportedly loosely based on the sixth novel in Diana Gabaldon's original series, which is titled A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Each season is usually based on a single book, but season five encompassed a bit of the sixth book, too, so it remains to be seen if the upcoming season will stick strictly to this one or begin to cover the seventh book.
Claire's Trauma
Presumably, season six will focus quite a bit on Claire's healing and recovering from her trauma after being abducted. "Claire has still some healing to do," actor Sam Heughan said in an interview ahead of the upcoming season. Actress Caitriona Balfe, meanwhile, mentioned the need for the entire family to heal together.
