Outlander Season 8: Returning cast and story details for final installment
StarzIs there anything we love more than a World War 2 drama? Possibly not. There’s a huge downside for Outlander fans though, and it’s all thanks to Season 8.
A time travel period piece sounds like a dream, but chaos and carnage has followed Jamie and Claire Fraser for seven seasons now.
Outlander is one of the best TV shows around these days, but it’s broken our hearts time and time again. That pain is all set to end soon, though.
So, what is going on with Outlander Season 8, and how much do we know so far? Here’s a rundown of the cast details, story speculation, and possible release windows for the big finale.
Outlander Season 8 will be its last
Unfortunately, Outlander Season 8 will be the final season of the show, as confirmed in January 2023. For the cast and crew, it’s a surprise – they filmed Season 7 thinking it would be the last.
Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming for STARZ, said in a statement at the time “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 Matthew, Maril, and Ronald and can’t wait to see where their alluring storytelling takes us next.”
Don’t get too excited here. 26 episodes doesn’t refer to how many there will be in Season 8, but instead how many there are between Season 7 and 8. We know that 16 episodes comprised Season 7, meaning that the impending Season 8 will have 10 episodes.
It was previously thought Outlander would continue “on and on” until the big Starz bosses had enough, but clearly, that moment has arrived.
However, according to Town & Country, executive producer Maril Davis had slim hopes for Season 7 as it was.
“We had already broken Season 7 before we found out we were getting to Season 8. And we really, unfortunately because we didn’t know, we had to approach Season 7 as though it might be our last. And because of that we were like, ‘What material do we have left?’ Because we thought it would be our last,” she explained.
“It wasn’t until halfway through filming Season 7 that we found out we were getting to Season 8. We obviously adjusted the end of Season 7… So in that way, it changed it, but we really went into the season thinking this was it.”
Returning cast
While nothing is officially confirmed, Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan, and Sophie Skelton are the most likely to return in Outlander Season 8. However, we do know that Tobias Menzies definitely won’t be coming back.
StarzGiven that Season 7 technically hasn’t finished yet, definite casting is all still up in the air. At present, here’s who is the most likely to return:
- Caitríona Balfe as Claire Fraser
- Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser
- Sophie Skelton as Brianna
- Richar Rankin as Roger
- César Domboy as Fergus Fraser
- Lauren Lyle as Marsali Fraser
- John Bell as Young Ian Fraser
- Kristin Atherton as Jenny Murray
- David Berry as Lord John Grey
- Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom
- Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter
As for Menzies, he won’t be back as either Frank or Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall. He told TV Line “It would be great. [But] no, you will not see me.”
Technically, both his characters are dead, so the news isn’t too much of a surprise.
Is the cast still filming?
As of writing, the Outlander cast is in the middle of filming. New images of Season 8 have already been released, meaning episodes should be available to watch in 2025.
Balfe and Heughan have been seen on set for the new TV show in Eglington, Scotland with David Berry, Charles Vandervaart, and Carla Woodcock, also spotted on set.
The leaks have found their way to Reddit and have divided fan opinion over changes to the pair’s looks.
In early August, the two co-stars shared images from production’s final table read on Instagram. Starz originally teased filming would be beginning back in February of this year.
Instagram/@samheughanBalfe wrote in an Instagram reel “Here we are …… 11 years 101 episodes and a whole lotta love, sweat and tears (and some blood) … thank you @outlander_starz @sptv @samheughan @sophie.skelton @rikrankin @johnhunterbell @izzy_meikle @caitlinoryan and all the rest of our cast and crew and fans…. It’s been a journey and a half.”
Outlander Season 8 has neither a confirmed release date nor a confirmed release window, and it’s currently unclear how long filming will last for.
Season 8 should still follow source material
Just like previous Outlander seasons, Season 8 will focus on the novel series by Diana Gabaldon. Dependent on how much will be covered in Season 7, new episodes will be based on ‘Go Tell The Bees That I’m Gone.’
Gabaldon has recently finished the ninth book in the series. There’s also a tenth book in the works – which is thought to be the final installment – meaning there would have been at least two more seasons worth of original material for the binge-worthy TV show.
If you watch to catch up with the source material, you’ll need to read these in the following order:
- Outlander (1991)
- Dragonfly in Amber (1992)
- Voyager (1993)
- Drums of Autumn (1996)
- The Fiery Cross (2001)
- A Breath of Snow and Ashes (2005)
- An Echo in the Bone (2009)
- Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (2014)
- Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2021)
Season 8 plot
Again, this is dependent on how much of the previous novel Season 7 will cover, but we can expect to see the American Revolutionary War tearing Jamie and Claire’s relationship apart.
StarzGabaldon herself has confirmed Season 8 will incorporate the novel – the question is how much of it will be covered off.
So far in Season 7, we’ve seen Rob Cameron spark metaphorical flames for Brianna, Roger, and co in the 20th century timeline, with the group’s fears likely to be explored in further detail in new episodes.
Season 7 Episode 9 doesn’t air until November 22, 2024, so we have a little while to wait to get confirmation of exactly how Season 8 will look.
As for the unfinished Season 7, David told TV Guide “We have so many storylines this season. I think this is the most storylines we have ever had that are in parallel with one another and that’s because war does touch everyone.
“Jamie and Claire talk a lot about how if they just went back to the Ridge or moved somewhere else, maybe they could escape this. But it is inescapable. This is the birth of a new nation.”
How to watch
While you wait for Season 8, all 7 seasons of Outlander can be found on Starz.
The streaming service isn’t your only option, though. Six seasons are available on Netflix, with Apple TV+ users also able to buy or rent them.
Outlander Season 7 Part 2 comes to screens in November. In the meantime, check out updates on other historical dramas like When Calls the Heart and find more information for Virgin River Season 6 and Sullivan’s Crossing Season 3. You can also take a look at more TV shows streaming this month.