‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Teases Return to Work for Season 8

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in 'Outlander' Season 7
Starz

The end is on the horizon for Outlander as star Sam Heughan teased he’s getting back to work on the series for its eighth and final season at Starz.

The actor took to Instagram to share a snapshot of his return to work with an image featuring a sign that reads, “Welcome to Outlander.” He added a caption, “@outlander_starz Season 8….” along with the word “prep,” hinting at his reason to share. Along with the tease were two emojis, including a tear-up face and two hands raised in excitement.

Sam Heughan behind the scenes of 'Outlander' Season 8

(Credit: Sam Heughan via Instagram)

As viewers know, Outlander was renewed for an eighth and final season in January of 2023, ahead of Season 7’s premiere on Starz this June. Part 1 concluded in August, with Part 2 poised to start airing in 2024, with no exact date determined yet.

Already fully filmed, Season 7’s second half won’t be delayed due to any strikes, and considering Starz’s release format, it doesn’t seem that any fans will be put through an extended Droughtlander waiting for Season 8. Still, it takes quite some time to film such an epic series, so it’s unlikely that Season 8 episodes will arrive anytime before 2025, but only time will tell.

Fans aren’t likely to mind the wait, though, as the season’s arrival marks the beginning of the end for the sprawling romantic fantasy drama centering around Heughan’s Jamie Fraser and Caitriona Balfe‘s Claire. Their time-traversing relationship kicked off in Season 1 when World War II combat nurse Claire was pulled into the past, where she encountered 18th-century Highlander warrior Jamie.

Based on Diana Gabaldon‘s best-selling book series, Outlander first arrived on television in 2014 and has since become a global phenomenon. A spinoff of the series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood has already been ordered at Starz. The prequel would follow the romance between Jamie’s parents, Ellen and Brian. Stay tuned for more news on Outlander‘s final season as well as the forthcoming return of Season 7.

Outlander, Season 7, Part 2, Premieres 2024, Starz