Diana Gabaldon is working on an ‘Outlander’ prequel based on the lives of Jamie Fraser’s parents, Ellen and Brian Fraser.
‘Outlander’ fans have much to be excited about, and no, we’re not talking about the upcoming sixth season. The historical drama series adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s novels series first premiered in 2014, and has been renewed again! The sixth season is set to release sometime next year, but fans might have some exciting news before that.
Welcome Baby Jamie Fraser on ‘Outlander’ prequel series.
Highlights —
- Diana Gabaldon is working on a book for the ‘Outlander’ prequel
- The prequel will focus on Jamie Fraser’s parents
- Will the prequel series get an adaptation?
It’s a part-romance, part-time-travel drama along with recurring themes of warfare and has amazing levels of depth. The series is set at the end of WWII, when Claire Randall (Catriona Balfe), a former nurse, finds herself transported back to Scotland in 1743. She meets the charming Highland warrior Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and becomes involved in the Jacobite risings.
There’s so much to love about ‘Outlander’. The historical romance, the period drama setting, beautiful scenery of the Scottish plains, the costumes and the soundtrack! These elements are pivotal in making the show an exciting watch and the element of history and time-travel are so well interconnected, you can’t get enough of it!
With rumours surrounding an ‘Outlander’ prequel series, fans are expecting to meet baby Jamie Fraser and learn about his life before he became the warrior we know him to be. Keep reading to know more about it!
Diana Gabaldon is working on a book for the ‘Outlander’ prequel
This isn’t the first time the author has casually dropped news about working on other ‘Outlander’ based projects. In June this year, Gabaldon answered a fan’s query about the story that unfolded before the timeline of ‘Outlander’, and if she ever considered writing it.
The fan wrote,
“Have you ever thought of writing a prequel to ‘Outlander’ about Jamie’s parents? His mom Ellen sounds like quite a gal. Murtagh loved her (boar tusk bracelets) & MacRannoch also loved her (pearls) & his parents’ love sounds very intense like J&C”.
Diana simply replied stating, “Yes. It’s in progress”. The author has written eight novels in the original ‘Outlander’ series so far and is working on a ninth, “Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone”. It will focus on Jamie and Claire’s relationship, and the title comes from an old Celtic custom. “You always tell the bees when someone is born, dies, comes or goes—because if you don’t keep them informed, they’ll fly away”, Gabaldon has previously explained.

The prequel will focus on Jamie Fraser’s parents
From the first season itself, and all along with the books, we’ve heard all about Jamie’s parents, Ellen and Brian Fraser. Jamie’s relatives Murtagh Fitzgibbons and Jocasta Cameron often talked about them through the years. It is also clear that Murtagh loved Jamie’s mother Ellen, which is why he always kept an eye on Jamie.
We’ve never met them in the books or the shows because they’re dead far before Jamie and Claire’s story began. The prequel will trail along with the events that led to Jamie’s birth and we may even get to see a baby Jamie Fraser!
Whether Ellen and Brian’s romance was as incredible as Jamie and Claire’s, only time will tell. It’ll also be interesting to see the bond Ellen and Murtagh shared, and how it made him Jamie’s confidant and protector.
Will the prequel series get an adaptation?
The author has confirmed that the ‘Outlander’ prequel is happening, but whether an adaptation is on the way is unclear. The book will explore Jamie’s character in detail and fans might get to know more about his upbringing in Lallybroch.
The prequel will have the potential to add to the ‘Outlander’ universe and give a backstory to its most famous character. Before that, however, Gabaldon has other projects to tend to, especially the ninth book in the original series. She’s completing her historical research for the book right now so there are a few years before the prequel will find its way to pages!
The gravitas of Scottish history is beautifully woven into the story, so it would be pretty incredible to see the timeline before 1743. Maybe time-travel is a part of Ellen and Brian’s life too? That could explain the connection between Jamie and Claire, who also met him because she travelled centuries back into time!
Are you excited to meet a young Jamie Fraser in the ‘Outlander’ prequel series? Let us know in the comments!
