'Outlander' Season 7: Everything to Know

From returning cast members to major plot points, here’s everything to know about Outlander season 7

Free Claire!

That's precisely what Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan, sets out to do at the beginning of Outlander season 7.

After narrowly avoiding being shipped back to Scotland during the season 6 finale, Jamie will stop at nothing to prevent Claire Fraser, depicted by Caitriona Balfe, from being hung for murder.

"We're happy to be back," Heughan told Gold Derby in June 2022, a few months after the cast had started shooting new episodes. "[Last season] was great and we're building on that. Jamie is alive and on a mission to find [Claire]. That's where we pick up."

From new cast members to major plot points, here's everything we know about Outlander season 7.

How did Outlander season 6 leave off?

In true Outlander fashion, the season 6 finale had fans on the edge of their seats. The episode started with a bang — literally — as Claire and Jamie engaged in a shootout with Richard Brown's Committee of Safety. The gunfight ensued after Jamie refused to hand Claire over to Brown, played by Chris Larkin, who is convinced that Sassenach murdered Malva Christie and her unborn baby.

Eventually, Jamie and Claire surrendered — agreeing to be judged for their alleged crimes in a court of law. The couple were later forcibly separated on the journey to Wilmington, North Carolina. Brown's orders were to put Jamie on a boat back to Scotland and to deliver Claire to Wilmington for a public hanging.

But thanks to John Bell's character, Ian Murray, and a few Cherokee Indians, Jamie was rescued from his captors. The final frame of the season shows the group bound for Wilmington on horseback.

What is Outlander season 7 about?

The season will consist of 16 episodes and follow the events that transpired in An Echo in the Bone — the seventh installment in the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon. This means the American Revolution is in full swing.

"I can't get into the theme too much. I will say we've talked so much about the Revolution coming — it's like "winter is coming" in Game of Thrones. Next season, the Revolution is here. It's our biggest season yet," executive producer Maril Davis told Variety. "We're gonna straddle so many storylines and so much ground is covered in this season. Everyone goes on such a crazy arc this season."

Is there a trailer for season 7?

In December 2022, Starz released a 35-second teaser filled with tiny sneak peeks at the upcoming season. The clip showed Claire with a noose around her neck; Brianna Randall Fraser, played by Sophie Skelton, giving birth to her second child; and a soldier tearing down a copy of The Declaration of Independence.

A few months later, the television network released a new opening titles sequence for season 7. As an updated rendition of "The Skye Boat Song" is sung by Sinéad O'Connor, one glaring detail is clear — the Revolutionary War has arrived.

Which cast members are returning for Outlander season 7?

Outlander wouldn't be the same without Jamie and Clarie Fraser, so fans can expect Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan to reprise their roles once again. The same goes for Brianna Randall Fraser, played by Sophie Skelton, and Richard Rankin's character, Roger Wakefield.

John Bell will return to play Ian Murray, who according to executive producer Maril Davis, has a "great storyline" in season 7.

Viewers can also expect to see more of Lord John Grey, played by David Berry, and Tom Christie, depicted by Mark Lewis Jones.

In addition to playing Claire, Balfe will direct an episode of the new season. During a June 2023 appearance on Live With Kelly & Mark, she spoke about the new opportunity. "I've been asking for a while — it's something I've been interested in," she explained, adding that she had "started doing some second unit already, and I'm going to do a full episode."

Who is joining Outlander season 7?

There are a slew of actors joining the cast of Outlander in its seventh season, including Joey Phillips and Izzy Meikle-Small, who play siblings Denzell and Rachel Hunter, a pair of Quakers.

"Denzell has a real urge to join the continental army and serve as a surgeon. Rachel comes with me," Phillips said in a Starz exclusive clip. And according to Deadline, Rachel and Ian Murray engage in a romantic, yet complicated, relationship.

Charles Vandervaart will play Jamie Fraser's adult son, William Ransom, whom Lord John Grey raised.

"The character of William Ransom is a wonderful role, and one fans have been eager to see. Finding someone with the talent and physicality to play Jamie's son was a daunting task, but Charles' charisma was evident during the audition process and we are excited to see what he will bring to William's multi-layered journey," Davis told Deadline.

The outlet also announced that a few fan favorites from seasons past are making an appearance in season 7. Graham McTavish will return to play Jamie's uncle, Dougal MacKenzie, and Claire's fellow time traveler Geillis Duncan, played by Lotte Verbeek, will be wreaking some kind of havoc.

When will Outlander season 7 premiere?

Season 7 is slated to premiere on June 16, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET. Viewers will be able to catch the first episode on demand at midnight ET. New episodes will be released every Friday, however, the 16-episode season will be split into two parts.

After more than six months of shooting, the cast and crew wrapped filming in February 2023.

"220 shooting days, a whole year of Outlander," Heughan captioned a selfie with Balfe on Instagram. "THANK YOU to our amazing crew who have worked so hard and to our brilliant fans…we CANNOT WAIT for you to see season 7."

Will there be an Outlander season 8?

In January 2023, Starz announced that season 8, which will consist of 10 episodes, is the final season of the series.

"For nearly a decade, Outlander has won the hearts of audiences worldwide and we're pleased to bring Claire and Jamie's epic love story to a proper conclusion," Kathryn Busby, president of original programming for STARZ, said in a statement. "But before we close this chapter, there is plenty of their passionate story to tell over the course of 26 new episodes and even more to explore this dynamic world and its origin story."

They paired the announcement with the news of a spin-off series called Outlander: Blood of My Blood, a prequel series about Jamie Fraser's parents, Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie.

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