You’d think after following the epic love story of Jamie and Claire for over a decade, and often waiting long stretches between instalments, that fans would be used to saying goodbye to their favourite fictional characters. But, with news that Outlander Season 8 will be the last and final part in the historical series, it seems no one is quite ready to leave the fantasy world behind.
It was always assumed that the eighth instalment would air just after the much-anticipated prequel series Blood Of My Blood – which premieres on August 9 – but with a confirmed debut date of early 2026, we’re now one step closer to the final trip back through the stones.
Adding to the excitement (and slow-build heartache) of the forthcoming release, showrunners Starz have gifted us with a first-look teaser that’s about as epic as it comes – and we are not ok.
As the clock counts down to the “early 2026” premiere date, we’ll be unpacking every morsel and moment from the early trailer
So until that time, here’s everything we know about Outlander’s eighth and final season, as well as the book the episodes are based on.
When Is The Release Date For Outlander Season 8 In Australia?
Outlander fans will be thrilled to know that season 8 is officially set to hit screens in early 2026.
While we don’t have an exact premiere date, but given the early notice, it’s looking like it could be as soon as the end of January.
Showrunners will likely be giving the brand new Outlander prequel, Blood of My Blood, time to gain traction within the fandom before putting us through the emotional wringer of saying goodbye to Claire and Jamie for the final time.
Is There An Outlander Season 8 Teaser Trailer?
Yes! In confirming the release window for the last season, Starz gifted fans with a gut-wrenching teaser trailer that spans the decades-long history of our favourite star-crossed lovers.
Time is at the centre of the epic trailer as the seconds tick away in the background and we’re cast back through the stones to the very beginning. We watch on as Claire and Jamie traverse timelines and tragedy to come back to each other with a strength that never falters. But as the last minute of the trailer reveals, time eventually comes for everyone, and we learn that fate might have caught up with them after all.
After all, as the show teases, “Every promise, every sacrifice, every moment has led to this,” – we just don’t know if we’re ready.
How Many Episodes Will Season 8 Have?
When Starz announced it would be renewing Outlander for an eighth season back in February 2024, it also shared that audiences could expect a 10-episode roll out.
Speaking at New York Comic Con, series executive producer Maril Davis commented on what’s in store for the last episodes.
“We are ending [the show] the way we are, we just wanted to be respectful of not ending it the way maybe the way she [Gabaldon] would.”
In response, Outlander author Diana Gabaldon expressed her thoughts to Collider on how the showrunners have chosen to close out the final series. “It was interesting… I was not upset by it,” she said. “It was not something I wrote, so I’m very objective about it. It was well done, I think it will work very nicely.”
What Will Season 8 of Outlander Be About?
The eighth and final season of Outlander will be based on the events of book nine Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Davis explained how the showrunners were able to craft an ending that felt authentic to both the ongoing novels, and the unique character arc of the series.
“We haven’t actually finished the edit for season 8, so that ending is still to be written in some ways,” said Davis. “But I think it’s very hard to close the chapter on something where we know the story continues, so the writers and [showrunner Matthew B. Roberts] have crafted something that is hopefully satisfying for our fans, even though we know there’s probably still a book to go.”
So while we don’t know exact details regarding the plot crossover between the novel and the series, we do know that Gabaldon, who is still working on her last novel, has said that the show’s ending will not resemble the author’s in any way.
“There’s only so much I can say about the show, but what I can say is that it really won’t resemble the end of the book series.”
How Will Season 8 Of Outlander End?
In an exclusive interview with marie claire, Australian actor David Berry, who plays Lord John Grey, hinted at what was to come from the series’ ending.
When asked about how the showrunner’s chose to end the epic saga, Berry responded:
“Here’s the big scoop about the ending… it’s that I don’t know the ending, and the only a very few of people on the set actually do.”
“There’s some secrets that have been kept, even from the cast. So I don’t know. I’m going to be completely surprised by it as well.”
And although David might not have offered up the answers Outlander fans might be looking for, when it comes to his character, we can be rest assured there’s a plan in place.
“Was I happy with my with my ending?” he asks. “Yes. I think Lord John gets a really nice farewell, and I’m happy with it. That’s all I could hope for.”
Where To Watch Outlander Season 8 In Australia?
As with the rest of the series, Outlander’s final season will be available to stream on BINGE, Foxtel ONE and Foxtel On Demand.
In the meantime, get your Outlander fix by streaming the previous seasons and final episodes of Season 7, Part 2 in preparation for what’s to come.
Stream Outlander now on BINGE with a 7-day free trial. Subscribe here.
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
