Newest Outlander Season 8 Update Confirms Viral Release Date Theory
You were right, dear fans, because Season 8 will not be released next year: But we do know the release window!
Summary
- With the end of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Outlander fans are anxiously awaiting the start of production on Season 8 and wondering when it will be released.
- According to one viral theory, the release window is set for 2025.
- In a recent interview, Sam Heughan shared when filming is expected to begin and end, confirming the theory.
Even the worst drought comes to an end sooner or later, and one day that will be the case with another Droughtlander, after the first half of Outlander Season 7 wraps in August 2023. It's not yet known when fans of the Starz adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's novels will be able to enjoy Season 7B, except that it will be released sometime in 2024. Until then, it's worth remembering that even in a drought, something edible can grow — and in the case of Outlander, in the absence of content, fans can console themselves by re-reading the books, re-watching the show, and engaging in all sorts of theories and speculation.
One viral fan theory, for example, went beyond the second half of Season 7 and focused directly on Season 8. The focus on this season is not surprising, as it is the final one and the writers have resumed the scripting process after stopping work in solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. As a result, fan calculations have suggested the year 2025, and it looks like the Outlander finale should really be expected at that time, with Sam Heughan hinting at a start date for filming.
Fans Were Confident About Season 8 Release Window
Although no official announcements were made and not much information was available, the starting point for speculation was the second half of the seventh season, scheduled for 2024, as filming of the next season will begin after or at the same time as the premiere.
Thus, many believed that filming would tentatively begin in late winter/early spring of next year. The only point of contention was Sam Heughan's tantalizing Instagram posts, where he shared sneak peeks from the wardrobe department. However, trying on a costume doesn't mean filming has started, as the designers have just as much work to do as the writers.
Based on this evidence, if filming starts in the first half of 2024, lasts a few months, and then takes an unspecified amount of time for post-production, the season should be set for early 2025.
Sam Heughan Confirms the Theory
It hasn't taken long for modest details about the final season to emerge, thanks in large part to series star Sam Heughan himself. At the time of writing, there have been no official announcements, but Sam hinted on the Graham Norton Radio Show that filming for Season 8 could begin as early as the spring of 2024.
For his part, he noted that production will wrap up in October. This is a bit longer than the other seasons, which took about five months to film. We should definitely expect more epic and tragic events as the cast and crew are willing to give the final season so much more time.
If the actor's October estimate is correct, then allowing for a few more months of post-production, Season 8, which concludes Jamie and Claire's story, should be released in either the spring or summer of 2025. However, as our favorite Scot pointed out, the season will be shortened to only 10 episodes.
But first we have to wait for the second half of Season 7. Since various reports have mentioned March, that's probably when we should expect the release — after all, it will coincide with the start of filming for Season 8.
By the way, dear fans, the Outlander story doesn't end with Season 8. A prequel spin-off, Blood of My Blood, about the romance between Jamie's parents, is on the way. Filming is scheduled to begin in early 2024.