Ron Moore’s Outlander Series Order Confirmed By Starz

By Nick Venable | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

OutlanderWhenever a song or a movie leaks out before it was meant to be seen, the creator of said project will usually cop to it. Maybe things get changed, and maybe they don’t. Some people get angry and lose money, and some people consider it a known risk of the business. Usually, a news leak is handled in the same way, and what’s done is usually done soon after. That isn’t really the case here.

So maybe it wasn’t exactly a “leak” when novelist Diana Gabaldon spoke of Starz ordering a season for an adaptation of her Outlander book series, developed for TV by Battlestar Galactica‘s Ron Moore. But she said it to a crowd at the Book Expo America 2013, which took place over three weeks ago. And now Starz has finally gotten around to making it official, giving it a new website and everything. So, pretend like you’ve taken a Forget Me Now or got blasted in the face by an M.I.B. neuralyzer, and act surprised.

Starz has ordered a 16-episode season of the Ron Moore-created Outlander series! (Way to go, guys! You’re all professionals to me.) Moore will serve as writer and executive producer, and they’re shooting for a 2014 premiere. Filming is set to commence this fall in Scotland.

Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said:

We are thrilled to be bringing Outlander to Starz next year. Diana has created an incredibly compelling heroine, thrust into a very complex world, not to mention, time. The books weave a fascinating tapestry of history, spirituality, love and honor, not to mention plenty of time travel, sex and warfare. With Diana’s stories guiding us and Ron’s mastery, we hope to bring Claire and Jamie to life for the millions of fans the world over.

The story centers around the adventure-and-romance-filled life of a 1945 combat nurse who travels back in time to 1743 Scotland. Not an easy TV sell for the masses, but it certainly has a rabid audience built in with Gabaldon’s millions-strong fanbase. The eighth novel of the bestselling series, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, is set to release on March 25, 2014. Perhaps the show’s release will coincide. Expect some casting news to follow in the coming weeks. Just don’t expect Starz to have anything to say about it until the next month after that.

Header art by Captivated2