Netflix is returning to Virgin River for a extremely anticipated sixth season, but it surely’s not anticipated to hit our screens till 2025. Right here’s your prolonged look into the whole lot recognized concerning the upcoming sixth season of the feel-good drama, together with manufacturing dates, solid listing, what to anticipate from the story, potential launch date, and way more.
The renewal for Virgin River got here in Might 2023, forward of season 5’s launch, with the announcement coming by way of Netflix’s Upfront Occasion. The early renewal has turn into a behavior of the present, with each season given an early renewal (and sometimes filming forward of the announcement) since season 2.
The way forward for Virgin River continues to look fairly protected on Netflix. Jinny Howe, the top of scripted drama on the streamer, teased in an interview with Deadline in 2022 that as long as followers hold turning out for the collection, “you’ll be able to relaxation assured that there can be extra Virgin River.”
Let’s dig in then; what will we learn about season 6 of Virgin River?
What to Count on from Virgin River Season 6
Warning: Some spoilers for Virgin River season 5 are beneath.
With the Christmas episodes now out within the wild, we now know that Mel’s father, Everett Reid, can be within the image sooner or later regardless of their horrific first assembly.
The 2 vacation specials finish with Everett revealing to Mel that he’s received one thing critical to inform Mel earlier than the credit start to roll. What may he need to say? Does she have siblings? One thing about her mom? That’ll be one of many key storylines heading into season 6.
Count on no less than two weddings within the subsequent season of Virgin River, with Mel and Jack lastly seeking to tie the knot. Might that imply we get a little bit of a time leap headed into the subsequent season? It sounds attainable. As we reported in February 2024, we’ll see a number of returning faces for the upcoming wedding ceremony, with Mel’s sister Joey (performed by Jenny Cooper), her husband Nate (performed by Dan Payne), and their kids attending the marriage alongside Jack’s Marine Corps comrades Zeke (Garfield Wilson), Josh (Eric Brecker), and Tom (Andrew Zachar).
Additionally, in case you missed it, Netflix is at present within the early phases of growth of a spin-off to the collection. Patrick Sean Smith is spearheading the brand new spin-off centered on the love story of Everett and Sarah, who’re Mel’s dad and mom. Season 6 of the present will characteristic flashbacks serving virtually as a backdoor pilot.
The showrunner for Virgin River season 6 spoke to Glamour Journal concerning the present’s future and gave away some hints. Patrick Sean Smith teased that the occasions of the upcoming Christmas episodes will “instantly propel us into season 6.”
Different insights from that interview included:
Ava can be returning in season 6.
We are going to see a decision for Preacher in season 6 and the way difficult his relationship with Kaia is, however Smith says he’s apprehensive for Preacher’s future.
The connection between Cameron and Muriel can be explored additional.
Image: Netflix
Extra Mel and Jack in Season 4
Ildiko Susany spoke to The Viewer’s Perspective in November 2023, telling the outlet that there’ll be a extra vital deal with Mel and Jack however added, “We are going to nonetheless have everybody’s tales as properly. We’re positively thrilled about Mel and Jack’s journey in season 6.”
In a current reside stream on Instagram, Martin Henderson and Alexandra Breckenridge appeared to substantiate this, too. The pair counsel that issues have “shifted some stuff round,” with Breckenridge saying after additionally talking to Sean, “I really feel like we’re going to be working much more.”
Whereas season 5 did have typically optimistic critiques, some feared that the present strayed extra into different storylines, with Mel and Jack taking extra of a backseat. That evidently gained’t be the case in season 6.
Lowered Episode Rely for Season 6 of Virgin River
We’ve grown accustomed to Virgin River being given bigger episode orders for the previous two seasons. Each seasons 4 and 5 had been upped from their common ten episodes to 12, with the latest season splitting these additional two episodes off into vacation specials.
The place is Virgin River season 6 in manufacturing?
Writing on the sixth season started in early 2023, though Netflix declined to remark till the Might 2023 renewal announcement.
Cameras had been at one level as a result of start rolling in the summertime of 2023. Quite a few sources state that manufacturing was initially scheduled to start out on July 24, 2023, with the present persevering with to have a funds of between $3 and $5 million per episode.
In fact, that couldn’t get underway because of the twin Hollywood strikes starting with the writers in Might and later joined by SAG-AFTRA (the union representing actors), which might go on strike simply a few weeks sooner than that preliminary filming begin date.
Fortunately, the author’s strike led to September 2023, which means that the author’s room may proceed for the sixth season. On October tenth, the Virgin River Collection account posted the primary take a look at the writers concerned in season 6 together with the caption:
“Thrilled to have our writing group again in motion, diving into Season 6!”
Image: Instagram / VirginRiverSeries
Because of The Viewer’s Perspective, we will put the names of the faces of the writers within the image:
Patrick Sean Smith
Erin Cardillo
Richard Keith
Tesia Pleasure Walker
Mary Web page Keller
Thomas Ian Griffith
Jackson Aaron Sinder
Ildiko Susany
Becky Hartman Edwards
Nate Tedford, Jen Troy, and Rachel Borders are additionally on the writing group.
Forward of the writers’ room re-opening, Smith instructed Glamour Journal in an interview that they’ve “half of season six written, so now we simply need to get again for the second half.”
In November 2023, Henderson confirmed the tough filming begin in a reside stream, saying:
“There can be extra, we can be going again to renew or to start out season six someday within the New Yr, in all probability February, one thing like that. So there can be extra.”
In December 2023, we received phrase {that a} filming schedule had been set with filming set to start on February 2nd and run via to Might seventeenth. This has now adjusted barely, in line with the Director’s Guild of Canada, with filming now set to get underway starting February twenty first and run via to Might thirtieth, 2024.
As some followers have famous – not many posts have been popping out all through the manufacturing of season 6. Believed to be due to new strict guidelines round sharing (maybe to keep away from spoilers), it’s at present loads more durable to trace the comings and goings of the present!
Who’s starring in Virgin River season 6?
Right here’s a breakdown of all of the anticipated returning actors and actresses in season 6:
Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda Monroe
Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
Zibby Allen as Brie
Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie
Marco Grazzini as Mike
Grayson Maxwell Gurnsey as Ricky
Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts
Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady
Colin Lawrence as John “Preacher” Middleton
Tim Matheson as Doc Mullins
Annette O’Toole as Hope McCrea
Lexa Doig as Paige Lassiter
Stacey Farber as Tara Anderson
Daniel Gillies as Mark
John Allen Nelson, who was launched in episode 12 as Mel’s father, has been teased to have a extra outstanding function in season 6. As we additionally talked about above, we’re anticipating the return of the next actors for the massive wedding ceremony:
Jenny Cooper
Dan Payne
Garfield Wilson
Eric Brecker
Andrew Zachar
Past these, we’ve but to listen to any new faces coming in season 6. We’ve received affirmation that Brent Fidler is ready to look in a principal function within the new season courtesy of his resume on Actors Entry. As well as, Jayce Barreiro is rumored to be taking part in the function of Roy Inexperienced (we’ve reached out for affirmation) for season 6.
Who can be directing in season 6 of Virgin River?
Up to now, we’ve received affirmation of two administrators who’re going to be behind the cameras in season 6:
Martin Wooden is a Virgin River common, having directed 18 episodes to this point, and can be returning for season 6.
Rama Rau can be making her Virgin River debut in season 6, having beforehand directed on Murdoch Mysteries, Diggstown, and Honey Bee.
Felipe Rodriguez will return following his debut in season 5, directing episodes 5 and 6.
As we reported in March 2024, actor Martin Henderson is now registered with the DGA and can be making his directorial debut in season 6.
When will Virgin River season 6 be launched on Netflix?
With cameras anticipated to have stopped rolling by the top of Might 2024, a 2024 launch date for season 6 is a chance however could also be a stretch and that was seemingly confirmed when Netflix excluded the present from its 2024 roster of 90+ new and returning exhibits.
We’re predicting an early 2025 launch date for Virgin River season 6 on Netflix.
All through the strikes, quite a few producers, writers, and actors recommended that the longer the strikes, the extra probably a 2025 launch date could be. That sentiment was on show by way of an Instagram publish by government producer Wealthy Keith, stating:
“All I need for Christmas is my two… uninions to get a good deal from the AMPTP. In the event that they don’t hurry up there gained’t be any #VirginRiver on @Netflix till 2025…”
Forward of the sixth season’s launch on Netflix, Virgin River can be getting some extra content material within the type of a brand new title throughout the Netflix Tales app. Ted Sarandos teased that this could be launched on Netflix Video games in Q1 2024.
Netflix Tales App with Virgin River
Are you wanting ahead to watching Virgin River season 6 on Netflix? Hold forth within the feedback beneath.
