Outlander wrapped up its powerful fifth season back in May 2020, and while it hasn't technically been that long since it was around on a weekly basis, the show's fanbase is not one to sit around waiting with bated breath. One can only handle so many Droughtlanders before snapping, naturally. Thankfully, we know that production for Season 6 is in full swing, and as far as the prospects for Season 7 go, beloved star Sam Heughan sounds pretty optimistic that he won't be saying farewell to the cast and crew any time soon.
While promoting his new action movie SAS: Red Notice, Sam Heughan understandably can't go too long without the topic of Outlander surfacing. Speaking with Esquire, the UK actor talked about being in the middle of one season while waiting for news on Season 7, saying:
We're shooting Season 6. And hopefully, there'll be some news soon, about next season – a possible next season. So we'll see about that. But yeah, I don't know. I think as long as people enjoy it, and we enjoy making it then yeah, long may it live.
Let's all take a moment to even give thanks that Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe and other stars are finally out there bringing Season 6 to life. As many fans might already know, filming for the new episodes faced delays over COVID-related issues, and the producers had to figure out ways to make it all work as safely and effectively as possible. But those details were thankfully figured out behind the scenes in order for Jamie and Claire's story to continue anew, and new episodes began filming in early February.
Of course, as awesome as that is, the relatively recent nature of the production likely means weh won't be hearing anything too concrete about Outlander's future for a while. Starz execs no doubt want to make sure Season 6 is able to come together without any major snafus before they commit to locking down the show's future. So even though the show's sex scenes might look a little different in the near future, it's all for the greater good.
That said, there is definitely precedent for Starz to wear its confidence in Outlander on its (slightly puffy) sleeves. Months ahead of Season 4's debut in November 2018, the cable network announced the renewal order for both Season 5 and Season 6. So at that time, fans could take comfort in knowing that at least three more seasons were on the way. But now, three years later, the episode reserve is starting to dry up, so it might behoove Starz to go public with Season 7 renewal news as soon as the decision is made. (How obvious is my confidence in that order's impending existence?)
Sam Heughan has definitely kept himself busy in the long wait between seasons, even when he wasn't filming action movies with Ruby Rose and Andy Serkis. Plus, Heughan and Outlander co-star Graham McTavish are currently front and center for the quasi-spinoff travel series Men in Kilts, in which the actors travel around various countrysides, visiting show locations and generally just getting into good old-fashioned shenanigans. Plus, he has apparently also been honing his musical skills. Here's what else he had to say:
I actually started teaching myself piano. I got a keyboard and I haven't touched it for about a month but I was enjoying it. I think we've all baked soda bread and drunk alcohol and read books and watched movies. I think now it feels like the spring is almost around the corner, I'm ready to get back outdoors and I really can't wait to get back out into the mountains, especially in Scotland, go hiking and stuff.
Should fans start holding out hope for Sam Heughan's Jamie Fraser to provide some piano-based entertainment for Claire in Season 6? Or maybe Claire can completely alter the timeline by showing him a John Legend or Fiona Apple song from the modern era. It probably won't happen, of course, but there's not much to do beyond speculate while waiting for new episodes, and so speculate we must.
While waiting to hear some good news about Season 7, remember that Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish are on the road for Men in Kilts every Sunday night on Starz at 9:00 p.m. ET.
