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Season 8 and Prequel Series Are Greenlit!


outlander-blood-of-my-bloodSo…. we got news!

OUTLANDER, SEASON 8 is greenlit!

and,

so is the OUTLANDER PREQUEL (BLOOD OF MY BLOOD)!

Let there be rejoicing!!!

Season 8 – Ten Episodes

The Starz Outlander TV series has been renewed for Season 8. Ten episodes will be produced in this final season.

Click to watch the announcement video on Youtube in a new browser window.

What About Season 7?

Season 7 of Outlander is currently in production, and will have 16 episodes in total. It is slated to premiere in the summer of 2023, and is based on AN ECHO IN THE BONE, the seventh in my Outlander series of major novels.

Prequel: The Story of Jamie’s Parents

Starz has also greenlit a prequel series to the current Outlander TV show today. “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” will tell the story of Jamie’s parents, Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie. I will serve as a consulting producer.

Read the first excerpt from my prequel novel about Brian and Ellen.

Matthew B. Roberts will be the executive producer and write episodes for “Outlander: Blood of my Blood,” along with Ronald D. Moore and Maril Davis of Tall Ship Productions. Roberts will also serve as the showrunner.

The Outlander TV series is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Left Bank Pictures and Story Mining & Supply Company, in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Stay tuned…

-Diana

40 Responses »

  1. Hip, Hip, Hooray for all the news. Love it so much. Thank you.

  2. Just curious… if the show is ending on the 8th season, how will that correspond to the actual book/series ending if it’ll be a few years until book 10 is published? Will the showrunners/writers be privy to the book ending so as to incorporate it into the show? Or will they come up with their own ending? Or is it possible that season 8 will end similarly to Bees, leaving open the possibility to film a finale season down the road when the 10th book is published? I don’t want the TV series to spoil the book series ending (though I’ll obviously read it anyway), but I also don’t want a Game of Thrones situation (though I think Outlander showrunners/writer are vastly better and more respectful to the source material).

  3. What are the chances of a different network picking up outlander for books 8-10? I always felt the earlier books were just getting you set up for the later books. There is just so much great material in the later books. How are we ever going to find out about Jamie’s ghost? Writing an earlier ending is really going to be tough. I am really going to miss my outlander show until book 10 comes out.

  4. Dear Diana,
    thank you for the wonderful work you are doing since 1991 first book.
    Scrivo in italiano, più facile per me.
    Ho una teoria sul fantasma di Jamie:
    essendo Claire tornata oltre le pietre, finalmente Jamie ha, come accade per tutti gli altri viaggiatori, un motivo per viaggiare attraverso il tempo anche lui.
    In realtà, in tutti i libri c’è il particolare che il nostro eroe non può sentire alcuni suoni, è stonato e non sente le melodie a seguito della ferita alla testa che Dougal gli ha inferto: forse per questo sembra non sentire le pietre.
    Secondo me, avendo già detto ai suoi uomini di non andare a combattere e tornare a Lallybroch, decide anche lui di non andare a Culloden e provare a raggiungere Claire nel futuro. Ma arriva nell’anno in cui ella sta partendo per la prima volta. Così capisce che il destino davvero non si può cambiare, motivo della tristezza che Frank percepisce vedendo “il fantasma”. Così Jamie torna indietro a combattere, pensando che mai più vedrà Claire.
    Tra l’altro ad un certo punto, nei libri successivi, rivelerà di averla vista “avvolta da una luce” elettrica e si giustificherà dicendo che non era impossibile sognare il futuro.
    Un abbraccio, aspetto con impazienza il libro 10!

    • I took it upon myself with a little help to translate Serena’s comment into English.
      ————————————–
      I write in Italian, easier for me.
      I have a theory about Jamie’s ghost: since Claire has returned beyond the stones, finally Jamie has, like all other travelers, a reason to travel through time too.
      In fact, throughout the books there is the particularity that our hero cannot hear some sounds, is out of tune and does not hear the melodies following the head wound that Dougal inflicted on him; maybe that’s why he doesn’t seem to feel the stones. In my opinion, they’ve already told his men not to go fight and go back to Lallybroch, he too decides not to go to Culloden and tries to join Claire in the future. But it comes in the year she is leaving for the first time. So he understands that fate really can’t be changed, which is the reason for the sadness that Frank perceives when he sees ‘the ghost’. So Jamie goes back to fight, thinking he’ll never see Claire again.
      Among other things, at a certain point, in the following books, he will reveal that he has seen her ‘wrapped in an electric light’ and he will justify himself by saying that it was not impossible to dream of the future.
      A hug, I look forward to book 10.

  5. Hello Diana! The eighth season will be the series finale?
    I hope not and I also hope and pray that book 10 will not take so many years to be published. Thank you for such a beautiful love story.

  6. It’s disappointing that the final season will only have 10 episodes. It seems like the fans are getting short changed.

  7. Dear Diana, I wish that the Outlander series can continue until you finish the series. I’m going to have a hard time letting it go. I love your story and the way the series was produced for TV. I fell in love with the characters and the extraordinary acting done by your actors. If there is any way you can influence those involved with the production, please tell them how much we love the series and want it continued.
    Yours truly,
    Coryn singer

  8. I am pleased to hear there will be a season 8. But only 10 episodes. I have read book 8 four times, book 9 3 times. There are many avenues of storyline in each book. And of course as of yet not finished book 10. I know they do not always go down certain storyline’s on the show. But how can they fit 3 books in 10 episodes?
    I am very grateful for 8 seasons. But us fans always want more. The books are big and complex. I am sure Sam and Caitriona have plans for their career. But I know you have ending all worked. I am sure you will steer writers down right path. But sure will give book readers a clue to end of book 10 I presume.
    Blood of my Blood, I am sure will be good, but without the actors we all know and love. It will not be Outlander

  9. Dear Ms. Diana,

    Will there be a lord John series as well? Also I really hope season 8 could be alittle longer. I love both the books and the show, thank you for sharing your talent. My mom has been your fan since you first published in 1991, we love talking about your books and watching the show together, I hope there will be more outlander mini series, novellas and stories, even when Jamie and Clair’s end maybe do one about Fergus and his family, or follow Willy and his search for love. I love your writing style, it’s so unique and yet familiar at the same time. Thank you for your time.

  10. Diana Gabaldon,

    I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the “Lord John” series after I had finished all the “Outlander” Books.

    It filled in a few areas for me that I had not thought of or considered. In fact I started to see Lord John, especially his brother Hal and all the Grey family in a different light.

    I would probably like to have read the “Lord John” series during all the “Outlander” books [as they fitted in historical time wise of course] but maybe not who knows ?

    Now I now can’t stop thinking of what happened to “Rogers” father the Spitfire Pilot.

    I am sure that a multiple story line would be interesting, with any number of twist and turns possible.

    Great Reading and thank you for your Books.

    Danny Cater.

  11. Dear Diana,
    First of all i thank you so very much for writing such a fascinating story.
    Im just wondering if the end of the TV series will wrap up same ending as your last book 10?
    I keep the books and TV series separate and enjoy them both as individuals.
    Im hoping that book 10 will be released before series 8.
    Im keeping my fingers crossed.
    Thanks again
    Joanne xxx

  12. Dear Diana, I’m so happy that an 8th season has been renewed.
    This is very good news but if I understood correctly the 10 episodes will include volumes 8,9 and 10 of your books, while the writing of volume 10 is not finished.
    The end of the tv series should not be taken over by other actors after season 8.
    I fear that this will spoil the end of the wonderful story of Claire and Jamie.
    Thank you si much for your books and your writing that make us live with the characters, we share their emotions, it’s so intense and beautiful.
    Outlander wouldn’t exist without you or the wonderful Sam and Caitriona…

  13. Bonjour,

    Je me demandais si votre histore Outlander était une fiction ou réel?
    Merci

  14. As we watch the destruction of our planet, the unending wars and the elimination of whole cultures, Outlander has consistently reminded us of what needs to be done in the future and the importance of every human. It gives me comfort and hope that we will survive despite our politicians! Diana Gabaldon needs to be given the Medal of Honor for all that she has accomplished with her books: bringing families together and uniting people against the futility of war.

  15. Dear Diana,

    I discovered Claire and Jamie 30 years ago when I was 17. Now, my own children and a life later, they are still like family. I have reread the books an embarrassing amount of times and am currently listening to them on audible (which I think will take about a year of commutes since I’ve been at it for 5 months and have just started Fiery Cross!). Simply, I love them. They bring joy and solace and comfort, tears and laughter. Thank you. I think I’ll have to postpone watching season 8 until after book 10 comes out. I’d be devastated to have the ending I’ve been anticipating for decades revealed in an hour of television. You are a master at your work and I’m so grateful for your continued dedication and perseverance in seeing these friends of mine through their lives. Please extend my thanks to your family for all the time they’ve sacrificed with you so we could be so blessed with your books!

  16. Dear Diana. Thank you so much for the great work you’ve done creating the Outlander universe. I picked up “A breath of snow..” on sale at an airport many years ago. Two chapters in, I found out it was part of a series of very well written books. I stopped reading, only to order all the previous books and start at the beginning. It has been a fantastic journey and I’m looking forward to book 10, allthough it might be the end of Jamie and Claires story. Even timetravellers don’t live forever. So best of luck with your writing…can’t wait. Helle

  17. Hi, I’m new. I’m a 77 year old lady, taught world history, got a masters in Counseling Psychology, 2 adult kids, and a husband of 52 years who passed 2 months ago, lived in the California desert for 20 years, but have a twin living in Tucson Arizona. I’ve been reading your Outlander books along with many of the side books for about 28 years. The thing is I read that you, at 71 are starting out on another BIG book.

    I just wanted to share some observations about the 70′s vs the 60′s. One thing is that though the 60′s felt pretty footloose and fancy free at 74 you pass an imaginary dividing line, moving from “young old age to old old age” Silly I know, however I’m finding at 77 that I move slower, think a bit slower and due to arthritis am finding it much harder to spend hours in front of the computer. These are undoubtedly MY changes, I wouldn’t suggest that they might happen to anybody else, however they are happening to me. Perhaps because I recently lost my husband at home in Hospice and his life ended with all of us around him, I’ve realized that at some point life ends and parting
    from a long time sojourner causes some pain.

    As Briana Comer says above, the people of the Outlander family have become part of my family too. My family transcends many racial, ethnic and educational levels, none of them Scottish or Dr.’s., but hey, once you’ve straddled three or four barriers a few more don’t really matter.

    Okay, here comes the life and death part. I’m know I won’t be around forever and if I find myself on my death bed and still, after all these years of books and TV shows don’t know the end of the story, I will be really, really mad.

    That’s all I need to say. I told myself not to bother writing all this down, that nobody would read it and the words just continued knocking around in my head. So here it is. I hope the words shut up now.

  18. Dear Diana,

    I just discovered Outlander after season 3 I believe. And when I started watching the TV series, I was immediately in love… I probably watched all episodes at least 5 times, if not more lol.
    I am so in love with that Story that in 2020 in named my son Jamie and in 2022 i named my daughter Brianna. And on my birthday last year my mon bought me all your Outlander books.
    I go on many blogs or Facebook pages and I would say that 90% of fans want to see Jamie and his family go in the Future…It would be a dream come true for all of us fans. I hope you can consider our wishes will righting the ending of your story.

    Fan

    Karine

  19. me too!!! My now almost 30 yr.old sons know way more than they want to because of my raving they like to tease!

  20. Was wondering if the story of Claire’s parents would be included in a novel or short story? Were either of them time travelers? Does she meet her ancestors in France? What is their story? Was checking excerpts of other literature and was unable to find them included in the storyline other than they died when she was young and was raised by her uncle. Loved your latest work, Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone.

    Am looking forward to your next novel.

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