Outlander Showrunner Gives Surprising Update For How Long The Spinoff Has Been In The Works

Outlander showrunner Matthew B. Roberts revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con just how long Outlander: Blood of My Blood has been in the works. Roberts serves as a showrunner for both series, the original of which is wrapping up with the upcoming season 8 shortly after the premiere of its spinoff. Though the announcement for Blood of My Blood arrived only recently, it’s been in the works for far longer.

ScreenRant was in attendance at the Outlander: Blood of My Blood panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, where Roberts revealed that he “really started to talk about [Blood of My Blood] in [Outlander] season 4,“ when the topic of Claire’s parents was discussed within the series. Roberts pitched the idea that the Beauchamps hadn’t died in their car crash, but traveled through time. “We took it to Starz and Sony, and they loved it,” the Outlander showrunner said.

What The Creative Timeline For Outlander: Blood Of My Blood Means For The Spinoff Series

Blood Of My Blood Has Been In The Works For At Least 11 Years

Outlander season 4 premiered in 2014, which means that Outlander: Blood of My Blood has been in the works for over a decade. Roberts noted at the SDCC panel that he had struggled to figure out how to fit Julia and Henry Beauchamp’s story into the Outlander show, but that the idea of this couple having time-traveled instead inspired a brand-new series.

Audiences didn’t get any word about the Outlander spinoff series until 2022, when Blood of My Blood was first announced. Although it might have been assumed that this news had come only a year or two after the creators first had the idea, it had actually been at least eight years. This provided Starz plenty of time to construct something meaningful out of Roberts’ pitch.

Outlander Prequel Show Renewed For Season 2 Months Before Series Premiere

Outlander’s new prequel will premiere soon, and the romance fantasy series has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its release.

As with any spinoff series, there have been concerns that Outlander: Blood of My Blood wouldn’t be able to live up to its predecessor. However, the fact that this prequel series has been in the works for at least 11 years indicates that it is being handled with extreme care. Roberts and the other Outlander creatives have had plenty of time to make Blood of My Blood great.

Hopefully, The Longer The Development, The Better The Show

Jeremy Irvine (Henry Beauchamp) and Hermione Corfield (Julia Moriston) laughing together in Outlander Blood of My Blood. (1)

Like many others, I was worried when I first heard about Outlander: Blood of My Blood that this new spinoff series wouldn’t be as magical as Outlander. According to canon, neither Jamie nor Claire’s parents ever time-traveled. The reveal that Claire’s parents hadn’t died after all, naturally, changed everything—but my fears weren’t totally quelled.

Roberts’ idea that Claire’s parents time-traveled breaks canon, and such twists are always a bit concerning.

Roberts’ idea that Claire’s parents time-traveled breaks canon, and such twists are always a bit concerning. However, the reveal that Blood of My Blood has been in the works for so long is comforting. There has been plenty of time to get this Outlander spinoff right and to hammer out any big timeline issues. After 11 years of work, Outlander: Blood of My Blood can surely be something spectacular.