Maril Davis and Diana Gabaldon tease family reunions in Outlander season 7B, season 8 ending, and more (Interview)

Outlander season 7 part 2 is fast-approaching, and I can feel the anticipation from all of you fellow fans. It's been a long Droughtlander, but the finish line is near. To help us get through this final stretch of waiting, we've been bringing you interviews with the cast and executive producers, which you can find on our Outlander page. And once the first few episodes start to air, there's some more to come so stay tuned!

Earlier this year at New York Comic Con, Show Snob had the opportunity to catch up with the stars, executive producer Maril Davis, and the author of the beloved Outlander books Diana Gabaldon to tease what's to come up next for the show, and the universe in general. Here's what Davis and Gabaldon had to share!

A family reunion

Let's start with Outlander season 7B, which premieres Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 on Starz. In the first episode back, we're going to see Jamie, Claire, and Young Ian return to Lallybroch. And trust me you guys, the reunion is going to give you all the warm feels. Actress Kristin Atherton has taken over the role of Jenny Murray from Laura Donnelly. And though it's "a little startling" at first, "the voice" Atherton uses to get into character "is just perfect" and you "quickly get used to" her in the role, Gabaldon shared.

"The scenes in Scotland, it moves slightly more slowly because it's not in the middle of a war zone. You're not having battles and people invading your land, Indians popping up behind every corner, things like that. And so that's part of the charm of it," said Gabaldon. "Jamie has come back, but he's different. The place hasn't changed that much, but a lot of other things have. And especially him. He's no longer the master of Lallybroch, so what what exactly is he allowed to do here? How are things going to work out with the people that he hasn't seen for so many years? So it's a more personal part of the story. So I'd say you can kind of take a deep breath during this."

But don't be fooled, Outlander fans. We won't be able to take a deep breath for long. As we all know, this story always moves quickly. And there's always something for the Frasers to deal with. So which episode do we emotionally need to be prepared for the most? According to Davis, it's episode "10 going into [episode] 11." Get those tissues ready, everyone!

Finding the right ending for Outlander season 8

Those waterworks are going to continue as we gear up to say goodbye to the beloved time-travel romance. It won't be a while until Outlander season 8 is here, but it's so bittersweet knowing we're close to the end. The cast has wrapped filming on the final season, though an ending hasn't been chosen yet. At the NYCC Outlander panel, Davis said that they've shot two endings, and showrunner Matthew B. Roberts is still deciding which one they're going to go with.

Though no matter what he chooses, it's not going to be the same ending that Gabaldon has for her eventual final book. The author revealed she knows how her epic tale is going to end, and she's "written large chunks" of the conclusion to her story. Wow! And though the show's ending is going to be different, the executive producers still reached out to Diana to let her know what they were thinking.

"Matt Roberts, our showrunner, and I called Diana because I think it's so hard to end something before the books end. And we wanted to be respectful of Diana, not step on her toes because the last thing we also wanted to do was her exact ending. Because then if her book's coming out, it feels like there's no surprise," said Davis. "We pitched her what we thought of doing, and she kindly was like, that's great and gave us the blessing to do certain things. And I think we really appreciate that because it's hard, once again, to end it before the books end. And so we're going to have to do our own ending and then try to respectfully give her, her ending." 

Gabaldon added that "what they did choose to do was very good, I thought." That's such great news, and I really appreciate that from the start, the creators of the series have been collaborative with Gabaldon and listen to what she has to say. Even if they don't always go with what she recommends, necessarily.

Expanding the Outlander universe

As many of you know, there's currently a prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, in the works and that's actually already finished filming as well. Perhaps we'll get it during the Droughtlander of waiting for season 8!?

The focus is all about Jamie and Claire's parents and the two couple's love stories. If the promotional images are anything to go by, I'm already shipping Brian and Ellen Fraser, and Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp so hard. Gabaldon shared she's going to be a consultant on the new series, just like the OG historical drama, as well as an "occasional scriptwriter." You can also expect to see familiar faces like a younger Dougal and Colum MacKenzie, Ned, and more.

"The [prequel series] is based more or less on the first [spin-off] book, which I am not finished writing," said Gabaldon. "So I gave them my synopsis of what happens. And then, of course, they made additions and subtractions it's is a good show. But there will be a book [from me] as well."

Outlander season 7 part 2 premieres Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 on Starz.