Starz released a teaser and key art for the sixth season of Outlander, which will premiere in early 2022.
The new season, inspired in part by Diana Gabaldon’s “A Breath of Snow and Ashes,” will see the threat of the Revolutionary War looming over Fraser’s Ridge. A sign tacked up in the teaser advises townspeople to refuse British goods, for example.
“It’s starting — a storm, the war. It’s almost here,” says Caitriona Balfe’s Claire in the teaser.
Claire and Jamie (Sam Heughan) will have to choose what is best for their family during this tumultuous time, while dealing with the trauma they had endured during the previous season, such as Claire being raped by Lionel (Ned Dennehy).
“You see that Jamie returns with Lionel’s body and seeking out revenge for what happened to Claire,” said Heughan during the Starz drama’s panel at New York Comic-Con on Saturday. “It’s pretty clear that this is only the beginning of an even bigger, deeper animosity between the two. The Browns are very dangerous, and Richard is extremely, extremely dangerous man. You’re going to see a lot more of the Browns and they’re not very nice people.”
Claire and Jamie’s struggles will include navigating life in colonial America and establishing home in the backcountry of North Carolina. Although they want to maintain peace and flourish within society, society is marching towards Revolution — and Claire knows what that means. Now the couple will be tasked with defending their home amid increasing conflict in their community.
“If Season 4 asked, ‘What is home?’ and Season 5 asked, ‘What are you willing to do to protect your home?,’ then Season 6 explores what happens when there is disharmony and division among the inhabitants of the home you’ve created: when you become an outsider, or an ‘outlander,’ marginalized and rejected in your own home.”
With the British soldiers are coming to battle the Patriots in 1775, Jamie “knows he’s on the wrong side,” said Heughan. “And at some point he is going to have to switch sides, but it really is even harder this season for him because he’s been pulled in both directions.”
He joked that he thought Claire and Jamie “should move to Hawaii and go and relax. Fraser’s Ridge is not a very happy place and it is freezing.”
Starz previously renewed “Outlander” for a seventh season, which will be based on the next book in Gabaldon’s series, titled “An Echo in the Bone.” During the panel, executive producer Maril Davis confirmed it will start shooting next year.
Ronald D. Moore, Matthew B. Roberts, Maril Davis, Toni Graphia, Andy Harries and Jim Kohlberg executive produce the series, which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Left Bank Pictures and Story Mining & Supply Company, in association with Sony Pictures Television.
The Lionsgate-backed streaming service Starzplay got exclusive rights to play the show in the U.K. from Amazon.
