Sam Heughan shares Outlander season 8 release window (and it's when we expected)

Outlander season 7 on Starz
Outlander season 7 on Starz

As a huge fan of Outlander, I feel so torn! I want to get the eighth and final season on our screens, but that also means that the series will officially come to an end at that point and we won't have any new episodes to look forward to. As a passionate viewer, it's truly a tough spot to be in. Starz hasn't shared when Outlander season 8 is coming, though our leading actor may have given us a hint.

In speaking with Deadline about returning to the stage in Macbeth, more on that in a moment, Sam Heughan shared that we should expect to see Outlander season 8 "towards next year." That would mean a 2026 release date, which honestly I think many of us were expecting. He went on to explain that prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood is coming Aug. 8, so he would "feel it's probably be out next year." So buckle in. It's going to be a while before Jamie and Claire are back on our screens.

Outlander - Season 7 2024
Courtesy: Starz

Outlander season 8 coming in 2026 is what we expected

Not only is he the one and only Jamie Fraser, but Heughan is also an executive producer on the series alongside his lovely co-star Caitríona Balfe. So I do believe he'd have even more insight into the potential release window, more than others. With the final season done filming, it definitely makes us more antsy knowing it's done but Starz is holding onto it.

Though like I said. When news first came out about Blood of My Blood coming this year, and then in August, I knew the network would want to hold the eighth season until next year. Well, we're halfway to 2026. I'm sure the time will fly by. Mostly. We'll just have to do what we do best during Droughtlanders and be patient. It'll be more easier said than done with the cliffhanger that Faith may have lived. But we've gotten plenty of practice over the years. At least we do have the prequel to look forward to, which I'm really excited about!

Blood of My Blood will center around two love stories, those of Jamie and Claire's parents. We'll get to see how Ellen and Brian became the Frasers together, and how Julia and Henry's love story plays out to eventually bring Claire into the world. There's lots of characters who we've met like Murtagh, Colum and Dougal, Mrs. Fitz, and more who are of course younger versions that will bring the full story to life.

And as mentioned above, Heughan is ready to venture into other acting roles now that Outlander (filming) is behind him. He's set to star in Shakespeare's Macbeth on stage as the murderous tyrant. The show will play at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the UK, and he's even got a buzzed cut to go with the new role. Be sure to check it out on the actor's Instagram page, here. The show runs from Oct. 9, 2025 to Dec. 6.

Stay tuned to Show Snob as we bring you updates about Outlander news on Starz!