Orange is the New Black's upcoming seventh season might be its last, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the end of the road, as Lionsgate TV is already in discussions for a sequel. Season 6 totally shook up Orange is the New Black's status quo, with the minimum-security part of Litchfield prison shut down in the wake of a riot and its former inmates divided up - many of them landing in the neighboring maximum-security facility.

By the end of season 6, Orange is the New Black's original protagonist Piper Chapman was finally released from prison, while fan-favorite character Taystee was wrongfully convicted of the murder of a prison guard. There were also some plot threads left in the air - like Lorna going into labor prematurely - that will have to wait until season 7 to be resolved. Meanwhile, characters like Yoga Jones, Maritza and Norma have been absent since the season 5 finale, and we still don't know where they ended up.

Related: Orange Is The New Black Ending On Netflix With Season 7

During an earnings call with reporters, Lionsgate TV (the studio that produces Orange is the New Black) reaffirmed that season 7 will end the show, but also offered a tantalizing hint about a future story. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate TV Group chairman Kevin Beggs said, "We're already in discussions and, when the timing is right, we'll talk further with [show creator] Jenji [Kohan] about a potential sequel." THR adds that these talks aren't new, and that sources say Kohan has been discussing a sequel with Lionsgate "for some time."

Orange is the New Black Season 6

Though it's one of the earliest and longest-running "Netflix Originals," Orange is the New Black is actually owned by Lionsgate TV and licensed by Netflix, so a sequel (whether in the form of a spinoff series or a movie) wouldn't necessarily have to land on Netflix. However, Kohan signed an overall deal with Netflix last year to produce original TV series (like her wrestling comedy-drama GLOW), so for the time being she's got her hands full. In any case, a sequel to Orange is the New Black is unlikely to enter active development before season 7 arrives next year, and may well be dependent on whether the audience appetite is there once the series ends.

As for what the sequel might be about - well, that's also dependent on what happens in season 7. Since Piper is out of prison, it seems likely that any future storylines would leave her behind - unless Kohan decided to make a show based on Piper Kerman's life outside of prison, including writing a book about her life behind bars that would eventually be turned into a TV series...

But then again, that might get a little too meta.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter