Why Outlander season 5 filming start date is being kept a secret

Is the interest out there for Outlander season 5 filming news? We don’t think we even have to ask the question! This is one of the most-popular series on premium cable, one that effectively defines a network and one that has amassed millions of fans all over the world. We know that there has been some concern about its long-term future as of late, but we’ve maintained that this is a series that will last however long the folks involved want it to. (For more on that, check out our recent feature.) It’s hard to envision another outcome when there is this much passion about something as simple as a filming start date.

We’ve been asked with regularity as of late when filming is going to begin, and the truth is that there is no clear answer … the other truth is that it is by design. No one associated with the show is directly addressing the question and the clear implication is that there’s a conscious decision not to share this information right now. Outlander (like so many other shows out there) wants to keep its start date a secret … but why? Within this article, the goal is to put a magnifying glass on some of the different reasons. It’s not some secret that they’re twirling their metaphorical mustaches over in a wicked way; it’s mostly a matter of working to make sure the final product is as awesome as possible.

On the other side of reading this, here is your reminder to look at the video below for more thoughts on the show’s Emmy odds! Remember to subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube so you don’t miss out on our weekly Outlander videos (they are up every Sunday!)! We also have a full playlist all about the show that is certainly worth your time.

So why are they not announcing the start date to filming?

1. Trying to avoid massive crowds the first day on set – Let’s make it clear that the cast and crew have no problem meeting fans and taking photos. There’s plenty of evidence of that very thing all over the internet! What they are trying to avoid is a situation in which hundreds or even thousand of people show up somewhere at the start of filming and it becomes a security risk. With big crowd sizes there would likely come disappointment for everyone, as it would become harder for the cast and crew to film and also hard for a lot of these fans to even get a glimpse of Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe, or the entirety of the cast.

2. The entire cast isn’t there on the same day – Here’s another way Outlander wants to avoid making any fans feel bummed-out. When production takes place, there are only a handful of days in which all of the lead actors are there at the same time. If you’ve watched this show long enough, you likely know that certain scenes are without Jamie, without Claire, or now without Roger and Bree. You don’t want to create a situation where you announce “filming is starting next week!” and people travel hundreds of miles only to see a scene featuring one or two actors. It’s so hard for production to please onlookers on-set, and in all honesty, that’s not really their job. Their job is to ensure that there are no bumps in the road production-wise and that everything stays on schedule.

3. The cast just needs a proper first day of work without distraction – Think of it as them going back to school, seeing some old friends again and also trying to get their work done on what is a very emotional story. It’s a lot to ask of them to immediately be back in their filming groove after such a break. The team needs these first few weeks to get back in the swing of things, which is why we hope that they start off with some interior scenes. These are the ones that are a little bit more of a controlled environment and they don’t have to fret over any external factors (from onlookers to weather to wildlife) hindering some of what they’re doing. This way everyone can get their footing right away.

Once the filming is underway we’ll start to hear a few things from the cast and crew — once they’ve already arrived on-set and are at work, it’s a little harder for crowds to spontaneously show up.

Have you voted for Outlander in our TV Madness tournament?

If not, you can do that just by heading over to the link here! Beyond that, we of course want to know in the comments what you are most excited for in regards to Outlander season 5 filming. (Photo: Starz.)