This article is part of a directory: Outlander: Blood Of My Blood - Cast, Story & Everything We Know About The Prequel Spinoff

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Outlander Prequel Show In Development At Starz

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Outlander Prequel Show About Jamie's Parents Officially Confirmed

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An Outlander prequel show has been confirmed to be in development under a new title. Based on the novel series of the same name by Diana Gabaldon, the show began airing on Starz in 2014, with production on Outlander season 7 currently underway. The show stars Caitríona Balfe as Claire Randall, a Scottish WWII military nurse who, in a turn of events, time travels to the year 1743. There she falls for Highland warrior and tacksman Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan, and the two pursue their romance backdropped by the Jacobite rising.

In 2020, Starz indicated its interest in spawning a franchise out of Outlander, contemplating various ideas for a spinoff show. There were several discussions between the showrunners and executive producers, although the ideas weren't explicitly revealed until recently when it was announced that work had begun on an Outlander prequel series. At that time, the story details were not revealed. But now there is an update on the same.

Related: Every Time Traveler In Outlander Explained

As reported by Deadline on Thursday, an Outlander prequel show titled Outlander: Blood of my Blood is in active development at Starz. The full details for the new series have not been specified, although it's reported that the show will focus on the romance between Jamie's parents, Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser. Matthew B. Roberts, who serves as an EP on the flagship show, will serve as the writer and showrunner for the prequel, with Outlander creator Ronald D. Moore executive producing with Maril Davis and author Gabaldon. No talents have been confirmed for the spinoff show so far.

Sam-Heughan-outlander

The development of a prequel show marks a major milestone for the expansion of the Outlander brand, in which Starz seems keen to invest. After all, the mothership series proved to be a major commercial and critical success for the network, so it's not surprising that Starz also wants to capitalize on the opportunity. However, it needs to be careful that it doesn't end up dishonoring its beloved show with a poorly executed offshoot. Since the core creative team of Outlander, including Roberts and Moore, are attached to the prequel show, they will undoubtedly give the spinoff their best, ensuring that it lives up to the legacy of the original series.

Although Jamie's parents had died before the events of Outlander, they are quite interesting characters who eloped to marry during the Great Gathering. The characters' backstories are profusely rich, too, as Brian was born out of wedlock, while Ellen belonged to a noble family. Thus, the characters' affair is definitely ripe for a TV show that will appeal to audiences interested in epic love stories and risky romances. Right now, it's hard to make sense of what the prequel's title means for the upcoming show. But, as hardcore fans may recall, "Blood of my Blood" is an excerpt of a popular quote from Gabaldon's first Outlander novel, and it was also the title of the sixth episode of Outlander season 4. The episode was big on family reunions, and considering that the prequel show is also tracing Jamie's lineage, the subtitle fittingly previews the theme of the spinoff. That said, with the show being officially greenlit, fans may want to keep an eye out for more updates. As it's likely that Outlander: Blood of my Blood will round out its leading ensemble in the coming days.

Next: Outlander Historical Accuracy: What The Show Gets Right (& Changes)

Source: Deadline