The much-loved historical drama Outlander will come to an end after its upcoming eighth season. In January 2023, Starz officially confirmed that the series would return for one final chapter. Kathryn Busby, the President of Original Programming at Starz, shared her excitement, stating, “For nearly a decade, Outlander has captivated audiences around the globe, and we are delighted to provide a fitting conclusion to Claire and Jamie’s epic love story. However, before this chapter closes, there is still much of their passionate journey to tell across 26 new episodes, along with more exploration of the vibrant world and its origins.” The 26 episodes Busby referred to include 16 for the current season seven and an additional 10 for the final season eight.
This announcement marks a shift from earlier discussions about the show’s potential longevity. Executive producer Maril Davis previously hinted at the possibility of the show continuing indefinitely, stating, “We’ll keep making this until Claire and Jamie are a hundred. Truly, we will. There are still so many books left, and as long as Starz, Sony, and the actors are on board, we’ll continue.”
Interestingly, season seven had already begun filming with the expectation that it might be the series’ final season. Reflecting on the uncertainty at the time, Davis shared in an interview with Town & Country, “We had already outlined season seven before finding out about the renewal for season eight. Sadly, because we weren’t aware, we approached season seven as if it might be the end. We found ourselves asking, ‘What material do we have left?’ as we thought it could be our last. It wasn’t until we were halfway through filming that we learned season eight was happening. Naturally, we adjusted the conclusion of season seven to reflect this, but we initially went into it believing it could be the final chapter.”
Despite the uncertainty during production, fans can look forward to a carefully planned conclusion to the beloved saga. With 10 more episodes in season eight, Claire and Jamie’s journey will finally reach its intended ending, bringing closure to the show’s many intricate storylines.