Outlander spin-off conversations still happening; nothing official
Earlier this year, Starz boss Jeffrey Hirsch strongly indicated that there is an openness to expanding outward this universe beyond just the flagship show. Do we think that this will happen eventually? Probably, with a Lord John spin-off being the most likely possibility just given the material that is already out there from Diana Gabaldon. Yet, we don’t think that Starz is interested in hurrying anything as of yet. There’s at least one more season of the flagship show, and we definitely think that there’s a chance for more beyond that. We’ve never gotten the sense that season 6 is being planned as the final season — there are certainly more books to adapt for the Jamie/Claire story!
So timing is important when thinking about an Outlander spin-off — it’s not clear if Starz wants to do something while the main show is airing, or instead go in the direction of Power and put spin-offs on the air after the fact. Nonetheless, know that producers are well-aware of the enthusiasm and are considering the right way to go about it. Executive producer Ronald D. Moore confirmed as much in an interview with Variety prior to the premiere: “We are definitely talking about it, there’s nothing official but we’re in conversations about it.”
Our feeling is that if there is a spin-off greenlit at some point, the earliest we could envision it is 2022. You have to get to a point where you announce it first, and then from there get the scripts written, cast it, and then film it. This is a process that takes a long time, and given the Outlander name here we have a feeling that the pressure to get it right is even more paramount. This is something that Moore, the show’s producers, and Starz can work on behind the scenes — there is, after all, no hurry.
Are you feeling optimistic about the idea of an Outlander spin-off?
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Photo: Starz