Starz Renews 'Outlander' for Seasons 5 and 6; Scottish Tourism Increases Due to Series
Lots of good news awaits "Outlander" fans, after Starz announced the multiple renewal of the popular time-travelling romance drama as well as the show's upcoming release date.
In as statement reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said that the TV adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's best-selling book saga with the same title will be back for seasons 5 and 6.
"Fans can rest assured their beloved Claire and Jamie will be back facing new challenges, adversaries and adventures in seasons five and six as we delve into American history and continue the story of the Frasers as they settle in the New World," the cable channel head said in the statement.
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The extension of the series did not come as a surprise, since Albrecht told the panel at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour that Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe's characters Jamie and Claire Fraser will be back for at least two more seasons.
At the moment, the fourth season of "Outlander" is currently in production. It will be based from Gabaldon's fourth book "Drums of Autumn." This means that season 5 will center on the plot of "The Fiery Cross" that was released in 2001 while season 6 will be based from the book titled "A Breath of Snow and Ashes."
The series received positive reviews from the critics for portraying the story of a time-travelling woman who fell in love with a man from the past. However, an article from National Review that was published in 2014 claimed that the show featured themes that slammed Christianity because it showed a sadistic portrayal of a priest named Father Bain (Tim McInnerny) in the show's first season.
The renewal of the series for two new seasons could also benefit the places where the scenes were filmed.
According to Scottish news publication The National, the numbers of tourists in several cities in Scotland saw a rise in numbers because of what they call the "Outlander Effect." These places include the Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, the Glen Coe, the Blackness Castle, the Doune Castle, as well as the Linlithgow Palace.
"This is an excellent return on the investment we have made across our estate. At Doune Castle, for example, after upgrading the visitor and retail offering, we have seen retail income increase 62% for the year to date," Historic Environment Scotland's director of commercial and tourism Stephen Duncan stated.
He also said that being featured in the fan-favorite series paved the way for these locations to attract new audiences and encourage more visitors to discover the story and background behind them.
VisitScotland's chief executive Malcolm Roughead also said that they were overwhelmed by the interest of the public in the places where the TV series has been filmed. "We have been absolutely blown away by the response globally to the Outlander series and the direct impact it has had on visits is truly exceptional," he also said.
Aside from the renewal announcement, Starz also revealed that the premiere episode of "Outlander" season 4 will be aired in November.
