Outlander is dead, long live Blood of My Blood.
Though the Starz mothership series Outlander is nearing its close (season 8 will be its last), there will still be more Highland drama for loyal Sassenachs. Outlander: Blood of My Blood will be a prequel series to the beloved historical drama, following the parents of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and their respective love stories in both 18th-century Scotland and World War I-era England.
Here’s everything we know about Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
Much of the original Outlander creative team will continue on with Blood of My Blood. Matthew B. Roberts, the current co-showrunner of the mothership series, will write and oversee the prequel.
“We’re thrilled to be telling the stories of these two couples,” Roberts said in a statement. “The origins of their relationships explore universal themes that transcend time periods and we’re so excited for fans to discover and fall in love with these characters and their love stories the way they have with Claire and Jamie.”
Maril Davis and Ronald D. Moore, who developed the original Outlander for television, will both executive produce. Author Diana Gabaldon, who wrote the books that inspired the series, will serve as a consulting producer.
The Cast
The core cast for the series, as well as some of the supporting characters, have been announced. Harriet Slater (Pennyworth) will portray Jamie’s mother Ellen Mackenzie opposite Jamie Roy (Condor’s Nest) as Jamie’s father, Brian Fraser. Their love story will take place in 18th-century Scotland, preceding the events of Outlander.
Additionally, in a new addendum to the series from what was first announced, the prequel will also follow the love story of Claire’s parents in World War I-era England. Hermione Corfield (The Road Dance) and Jeremy Irvine (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) will tackle the roles of Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp.
Many of the supporting characters will also be younger versions of beloved faces from Outlander. Rory Alexander will play a younger version of Duncan LaCroix’s Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser, Jamie’s beloved cousin, while Sam Retford will portray headstrong future war chieftain Dougal MacKenzie (a role originated by Graham McTavish, who now appears on Men In Kilts with star Sam Heughan).
The MacKenzie clan will also feature a younger iteration of future laird Colum MacKenzie as portrayed by Séamus McLean Ross. Faithful advisor Ned Gowan will also make an appearance, played here by Conor MacNeil. Gary Lewis and Bill Paterson originally portrayed the older versions of Colum and Ned.
“We are thrilled to expand our season 1 cast with some well-known characters from the Outlander universe,” Roberts said in a statement. “We’re so excited to welcome Rory, Sam, Séamus, and Conor to the MacKenzie and Fraser clans and to explore the young journeys of these fan-favorite characters.”
The cast will also include members of the extended families of the Highland clans who intersect with the lives of Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie. Brian McCardie (Rob Roy) signed on to portray the leader of Clan Grant, one Isaac Grant. McCardie died suddenly on April 29. Production has yet to disclose whether he had completed filming or if the role will be recast.
Jhon Lumsden will also join the Grant family as Isaac’s son Malcolm, a potential suitor for Ellen MacKenzie.
Viewers will also get to meet Jamie Fraser’s grandmother, Davina Porter, who will be portrayed by Sara Vickers (Watchmen). Davina is a housekeeper in the Lovat household and the mother of Brian Fraser.
Much of the action will circle around Clan MacKenzie, which will be led by Red Jacob MacKenzie. Peter Mullan (Ozark) will play the MacKenzie Laird, who is the father of Ellen, Jamie’s mother, and the father of other notable MacKenzies seen in the Outlander series, including Dougal, Colum, Janet, and Jocasta.
Sally Messham (Aftersun) joins the cast as Mrs. Fitz, Ellen MacKenzie’s maid at Castle Leoch. She is also the aunt of Murtagh Fitzgibbons, who is himself in love with Ellen.
Terence Rae, a veteran of the British stage, is bringing the younger version of a familiar face to life, one Arch Bug, the man who stole the missing French gold from Jocasta Cameron (Maria Doyle Kennedy). At this time, Arch is working as a bodyguard for Clan Grant.
Speaking of Jocasta Cameron, fans will also get to see a younger version of the feisty youngest daughter of the MacKenzie clan. Sadhb Malin (Conversations With Friends) will portray this youthful version of Jamie Fraser’s aunt, the youngest sister of Ellen MacKenzie.
Rounding out the MacKenzie clan is Ellen’s other sister Janet, who will be portrayed by Ailsa Davidson (Heathers). Janet is not a character on screen in Outlander, but she is the namesake of Jamie’s sister, Jenny.
There’s also new faces on the 20th century side of things. Annabelle Dowler (The Reckoning) will portray Lizbeth, boss to Julia Moriston, Claire’s mother, at the War Department.
Claire’s father, Henry Beauchamp, also gets a friend — one Private Charlton, played by Harry Eaton (EastEnders), who is Henry’s fellow soldier.
When the Show is Filming
Production for Outlander: Blood of My Blood began in Scotland in early 2024, and its schedule will partially overlapped with filming for the final season of Outlander, though it wrapped prior to Outlander‘s eighth and final season.
First Look
EW debuted a first look at the series, including swoony images of both central couples and some shots of the supporting players. Take a look at all the images released so far below.
Episode Count and Release Date
Outlander: Blood of My Blood will have a 10-episode first season. Though a specific date has yet to be named, the series is set to premiere on Starz in the summer of 2025.
Teaser
On Jan. 16, just ahead of the season 7 finale of Outlander, the prequel series dropped its first teaser.
“Two love stories connected by time, loyalty, desire, passion, destiny,” the teaser promises, flashing over scenes of World War I trench warfare; war nurse, Julia, hiding under a hospital bed; and Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) catching glimpses of each other through slats in a wooden fence.