NBC is bringing back The Blacklist for a seventh season after the entire cast agreed to return. The Universal owned channel first debuted the thriller/drama in 2013, and it immediately became a big hit for them. With James Spader leading the way and a prime Monday night slot, The Blacklist was a ratings giant and very well received by audiences and critics alike. The popularity gave NBC confidence to move the series to a new time slot, where it's remained a consistent performer despite a drastic fall off from season one.

Now in its sixth season, the series continues to follow Spader as ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington and Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen. The show is currently in the middle of a storyline dedicated to Red being imprisoned and forced to plead guilty in an effort to devise an escape. While he's been busy with life in prison, Keen and the task force have continued to hunt down people on the blacklist. With still half of the season to go though, The Blacklist's fate has already been revealed.

Related: 20 Secrets Only True Fans Know About The Blacklist

Deadline reports that NBC has given The Blacklist an early season 7 renewal. Since standard broadcast deals for series cast members last six years though, the decision to extend the show came down to whether or not the cast members would agree to return. The report states that Spader previously extended his contract for the seventh season, but his fellow co-stars had not yet been given new deals. Once NBC was able to secure new deals for Boone, Diego Klatenhoff, and Harry Lennix, they opted for the early renewal.

The Blacklist Season 6 James Spader

This confirmation of The Blacklist's fate will ease the minds of viewers who may have wondered if the show could meet its end after its current run. There are still twelve episodes left to air in season 6 and major storylines to try and wrap up before the season finale, but there's no longer a need to worry that no more new episodes will arrive. This also eliminates any concern that any of the four main cast members will die during this season.

No premiere date for season 7 of The Blacklist has been announced at this time, and it'll be interesting to see whether NBC gives it another winter premiere as they did with season 6 or if the series becomes part of their fall lineup once more. It's not currently known if other major cast members like Amir Arison, Mozhan Marnò, and Hisham Tawfiq will be back for season 7. Regardless, there's plenty of time for those details to surface.

MORE: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Renewed For Season 7 at NBC

The Blacklist continues Friday, March 15 with 'Bastien Moreau' on NBC.

Source: Deadline