The Droughtlander apparently will last longer than we thought.
Starz and Sony announced Wednesday that the third season of the highly popular romantic fantasy will not launch until September. No exact debut date was provided.
September will be the latest point in the year that "Outlander" has premiered. Season 1 began in August 2014, and Season 2 kicked off in April 2016.
In March, production and filming on the current season moves from its home base in Scotland to Cape Town, South Africa, to shoot pivotal sea voyage scenes on the former sets of the Starz original series "Black Sails." Production on the season began in September 2016 and will wrap in June 2017. Cape Town will stand in for Caribbean locales that show up in Diana Gabaldon's third Outlander novel, "Voyager."
"Outlander" will once again participate in San Diego Comic Con this summer.
According to a Starz press release, the story picks up right after Claire (Balfe) travels through the stones to return to her life in 1948. Now pregnant with Jamie's (Heughan) child, she struggles with the fallout of her sudden reappearance and its effect on her marriage to her first husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies).
Meanwhile, in the 18th century, Jamie suffers from the aftermath of his doomed last stand at the historic battle of Culloden, as well as the loss of Claire. As the years pass, Jamie and Claire attempt to make a life apart from one another, each haunted by the memory of their lost love. The budding possibility that Claire can return to Jamie in the past breathes new hope into Claire's heart... as well as new doubt.
Separated by continents and centuries, Claire and Jamie must find their way back to each other. As always, adversity, mystery, and adventure await them on the path to reunion. And the question remains: When they find each other, will they be the same people who parted at the standing stones, all those years ago.
Additions to the cast include Lauren Lyle as Laoghaire's daughter, Marsali; Cesar Domboy as the adult Fergus; Gary Young as Mr. Willoughby; Charlie Hiett as Capt. Thomas Leonard; Wil Johnson as Claire's friend Joe Abernathy; and John Bell as Jamie and Claire's nephew Young Ian.
Carmi Zlotnik, president of programming for Starz said: "While 'Droughtlander' will last just a little longer, we feel it is important to allow the production the time and number of episodes needed to tell the story of the 'Voyager' book in its entirety. The scale of this book is immense, and we owe the fans the very best show. Returning in September will make that possible."
