As Outlander comes to a close, the spinoff Blood of My Blood prepares to kick off, but I like the sound of one star’s idea even better. The new Outlander spinoff is expected to premiere during the summer of 2025, while the eighth and final season should be released near the end of the year. Depending on how Claire and Jamie’s stories end—and how Blood of My Blood performs in its debut season—the door could be wide open for further Outlander spinoffs. This is undoubtedly exciting since Starz has only brushed the surface of author Diana Gabaldon’s books.
There are still a lot of big questions left to be answered in Outlander, and season 8 might not have enough time to tie up all the loose ends in the way the books will. The return of Master Raymond, played by Dominique Pinon, in season 7’s finale made this glaringly obvious. This mysterious Outlander character is at the center of time travel in the books, but the TV show has barely begun explaining his significance in Claire’s story. Luckily, Pinon has confirmed (via Télé-Loisirs) that Master Raymond will make another appearance in Outlander season 8, and he even hopes that this character could get his own spinoff.
A Master Raymond Spinoff Is Exactly What Outlander Needs
Actor Dominique Pinon Is Eager To Explore His Character Further
Pinon pointed out in his interview with Télé-Loisirs that Gabaldon wrote a novella, The Space Between, that dove a bit deeper into Master Raymond’s story. Originally published in 2013, this book follows Joan MacKimmie (Marsali’s sister) and Michael Murray (Young Ian’s brother) as they arrive in France. Master Raymond makes a vital appearance, and it’s in this novella that it is revealed that the character is a prehistoric time traveler—likely the ancestor of characters like Claire Fraser and Geillis Duncan. Pinon noted that The Space Between would be excellent source material for Starz to work with:
“I would like them to call me back. I learned that Diana Gabaldon had written a novel or a short story centered on my character. I would like them to do something with it. If it happens, great, if it doesn’t, too bad.”
The fact that Pinon would be willing to return to play Master Raymond in a new spinoff series is certainly encouraging. This character could be the answer to many of Outlander’s biggest unsolved mysteries, and the few episodes of season 8 surely wouldn’t be enough to do his story any justice. Though Blood of My Blood has clearly taken priority, I would be more interested in an adaptation of The Space Between. As it is, Outlander season 7 has already done the work of setting such a spinoff up.
Outlander Season 7 Already Set Up A Master Raymond Series
Season 7 Put All The Pieces In Place For The Space Between
As previously mentioned, the primary characters of Gabaldon’s The Space Between novella are Joan MacKimmie and Michael Murray, both of whom appeared in Outlander season 7. While in Scotland, Jamie helped Joan get accepted into a French convent, and Michael volunteered to accompany her to Paris. This is all the leadup to the events of The Space Between, so it would be easy enough for a spinoff series to jump in and continue where this Outlander season 7 story left off. To make matters even better, this would continue one of the older arcs of Outlander.
Add in the intriguing mystery that is Master Raymond, and it’s difficult to imagine how such an Outlander series could possibly go wrong.
Outlander season 2 was among the more unique installments of the fantasy series. This is when Jamie and Claire lived in France, and seeing them mingle among the 18th-century Paris high society was a great deal of fun. It was the perfect combination of glamorous and gritty. A spinoff that continued this flavor would feel both nostalgic and new. Add in the intriguing mystery that is Master Raymond, and it’s difficult to imagine how such an Outlander series could possibly go wrong.
Could More Outlander Spinoffs Follow Blood Of My Blood?
There’s Room To Keep The Outlander Franchise Growing
The fact that Outlander already has a spinoff on the way seems to imply that we won’t get another one for quite some time. Blood of My Blood will follow Jamie and Claire’s respective parents in their individual centuries, and there is certainly a lot to look forward to here. However, this spinoff isn’t based on any of Gabaldon’s books. It will utilize information about the Beauchamps and Frasers acquired from the central series, but the bulk of the story will be brand new. Still, setting this foundation may be a way to open the door to more Outlander spinoffs.
If Blood of My Blood performs well with audiences after its first season, Starz may begin diving into production for other spinoffs. A Lord John series, based on Gabaldon’s spinoff books about Lord John Grey, has been highly requested. Additionally, many have hoped for further stories involving Roger and Brianna’s magically powerful children as adults. There seems to be a lot of room for expansion here, but it seems that Master Raymond’s full Outlander story would take priority. As it is, only time will tell.