One decade and one hell of a dramatic love story is coming to its end: Outlander Season 8 concludes the epic tale. We've got all the info for the finale for you, including our guess about the release date, the cast and any other news you could possibly need.
Diana Gabaldon's popular book series hit the sweet spot for many and the following show for an even bigger audience. The books already gathered quite the fanbase, but the TV adaptation brought Claire's story to a whole new level. Also, Jamie is handsome as heck and Scotland is just as gorgeous – that helps with keeping viewers engaged, alright. Book adaptations with handsome protagonists are just the thing for many people – just ask Reacher which also got renewed for a fourth season.
For those who have no idea what I'm talking about right now: Outlander tells the story of Claire Randall, a WWII nurse, who is mysteriously sent back in time and finds herself in the year 1743 amidst rebel Highlanders. Given their perilous lives, her nursing skills quickly become invaluable, and don't forget the good-looking hunk who shows interest in her.
The handsome man in question is Jamie Fraser, an extraordinarily striking Highlander. Suddenly, returning to her 20th-century husband doesn't seem as urgent anymore. Can't wait for the drama to continue in Outlander season 8!
Outlander Season 8 Cast: Jenny Fraser Murray Won’t Be In & New Faces
Bad news for book purists: Jenny Fraser Murray won’t be making an appearance in the final season. According to co-showrunner Matthew B. Roberts, there simply isn’t enough time to squeeze her storyline into the remaining 10 episodes.
If you’ve been keeping track, Jenny – Jamie’s older sister and lady of Lallybroch – was originally played by Laura Donnelly before disappearing for several seasons. She made a surprise comeback in Season 7, this time portrayed by Kristin Atherton. But now, just as fans were getting used to her new face, she’s gone again.
This is particularly surprising for those who’ve read Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, the book Season 8 is adapting. In the novel, Jenny actually does make the journey to America to reunite with Jamie. But in the show? She chooses to stay behind in Scotland, holding down the fort at Lallybroch – alone. That’s a pretty big departure from the source material, and not one that’s likely to sit well with fans.
While some familiar faces are vanishing, others are stepping onto the scene. Season 8 will introduce:
- Captain Charles Cunningham (played by House of the Dragon’s Kieran Brew) – a retired British soldier.
- Elspeth Cunningham (played by Catastrophe’s Frances Tomelty) – Charles’ mother.
- Amaranthus Grey (played by Such Brave Girls’ Carla Woodcock) – a new member of the ever-expanding Grey family tree.
Outlander Season 8: Estimated Release Date
Hold your horses! Season 7 just ended. The finale aired on January 17, 2025. I know it's hard to wait – I am not the biggest fan of the Droughtlander-phase either, but patience is a virtue.
What an incredible journey with an incredible fanbase. #Outlander has officially been renewed for an eighth and final season. pic.twitter.com/mNJ3AZXW2s
— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) January 19, 2023
Well, good news first: Season 8 has already been confirmed and is surely going to conclude the series in an epic finale.
Bad news: there's no release date for season 8 yet. Production is well underway though, so our guess is that late 2025 will be the time Outlander wraps up.
Outlander Will Continue With A Spin-Off Series
Leaving Claire and Jamie behind after years of rooting for them surely won't be easy, but there's another thing to look forward to that should dull the pain. Starz has already greenlit the spin-off series “Blood of my Blood” which will tell a whole other love story: the one of Jamie's parents.
Not only will Blood of my Blood explore the romance of Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser (for which I will be forever thankful because it gave us Jamie), there's also the chance of getting a look at kid-Jamie. In Season 1, Jamie already gave a quick re-telling of the story, but seeing it unfold in all its glory surely is something to get excited about.
You can watch the first teaser here.
Author Diana Gabaldon revealed she is working on a book about Brian and Ellen as well, helping the showrunners out with ideas for the spin-off.
For now, there's nothing more to do than sit out the Droughtlander-phase. We'll keep you posted!
The Origins of Outlander
If you want to read about the origins of the beloved Outlander series to pass the time, here is everything we could find.
By now, you should know that the show is based on a book series by Diana Gabaldon (I mean, I already mentioned that a couple of times, but I'll happily link to the books as many times as you want me to). What you probably didn't know is how she got the idea for her iconic love story.
The funny thing is, Diana Gabaldon decided to write a novel for practice, just wanting to learn the basics of novel-writing. She actually chose the historical genre without a specific target audience in mind.
The first book, which was published in 1991, was inspired by a “Doctor Who” episode where she saw a young Scot from the 18th century. Makes sense to have a story about time travelling inspired by one of the most famous time travelers out there.
The time-travel romance saga grew from that point, with Gabaldon creating a rich, historical setting intertwined with romance, adventure, and science fiction elements, which made the series as successful as it is.