Season 6 of Virgin River had every part that followers of the Netflix present might need: a dreamy marriage ceremony, the return of a chilling villain and extra sweeping photographs of the beautiful mountainous surroundings than you would ask for. There was additionally a brand new love story informed within the type of Mel’s mother and father.
Her previously estranged father, Everett, recounted a few of his most valuable reminiscences with Mel’s late mom, Sarah, a free-spirited girl who captured his coronary heart. In the event you loved these flashbacks, now we have some excellent news – you could get to see extra of them in a deliberate prequel for the romance collection.
Right here’s every part we all know thus far in regards to the Virgin River spin-off on Netflix.
Netflix
When might the Virgin River prequel be launched?
Improvement for the Virgin River spin-off is at present within the very early phases, however we will estimate once we count on to see it drop on Netflix.
Patrick Sean Smith is the showrunner and has additionally held the position on Virgin River since season 5. When requested about how growth for the brand new present is progressing, he mentioned the next:
“I’m writing it as quickly as I get off [the phone] with you, so we’ll see. Fingers crossed!”
That was again in December 2024, simply after Virgin River season 6 arrived. We’re anticipating season 7 of the collection to drop both late this yr or early subsequent yr, so it’s unlikely that the prequel will arrive in 2025. No solid members have formally been confirmed, and the showrunner has mentioned how new plots in season 7 can be constructed upon within the prequel – if Netflix strikes ahead with it, in fact.
Nonetheless, turnaround occasions for Virgin River between filming and airing are shorter than extra technically advanced productions. So, if writing and casting is accomplished quickly, there’s an opportunity we might see the prequel arrive later in 2026.
Take into account that that is simply our prediction. Ought to we hear any affirmation (or otherwise), we’ll replace this text.
Netflix
When is the Virgin River prequel set?
The Virgin River spin-off will begin being set within the Nineteen Seventies, the identical time-frame we noticed Everett and Sarah in throughout the flashbacks – Tudum confirmed that almost all of the scenes came about in 1972.
As we’ve already seen, that is throughout the Vietnam conflict protests, one thing Sarah is actively concerned in.
Nonetheless, the present could not keep solely within the seventies, as Deadline mentioned it was ‘largely’ based mostly on this period, so it is determined by how a lot of the couple’s story we see performed out.
Smith gave the next quote on how the period can be related for audiences now:
“…it’s nonetheless maintaining issues romance-forward, character-based, strong story engines, the fantastic thing about the world, however then placing that in a time interval that may inform a number of the problems with the time, and that may nonetheless converse and really feel related to problems with at the moment, which I feel is what Virgin River itself has performed fantastically”
Who’s starring within the Virgin River prequel?
Whereas no solid members have been formally confirmed by Smith, we count on that Jessica Rothe and Callum Kerr will return to play Sarah and Everett.
Rothe is greatest recognized for Joyful Dying Day, and has additionally starred in Joyful Endings, Gossip Lady, Blue Bloods, Chicago P.D., La La Land, Utopia, All My Life, Mary + Jane, Boy Kills World.
Kerr in the meantime is greatest recognized for Monarch and Hollyoaks, however has additionally had components in Zomboat!, 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Glow & Darkness, and Flowers within the Attic: The Origin.
The flashbacks in season 6 of Virgin River additionally featured RaeAnne Boon as native gossip, Connie. We’d in fact count on to see youthful variations of Doc and Hope, as we all know they’ve a posh historical past – and there was plenty of pressure between Vernon and Everett once they had been youthful.
Within the Deadline interview talked about above, Smith discusses how he’d need this present to operate equally to Queen Charlotte, the Bridgerton prequel. That in fact options cameos from the primary solid, which might embody John Allen Nelson as modern-day Everett Reid, Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel, Martin Henderson as Jack, Tim Matheson as Doc and Annette O’Toole as Hope.
Netflix
What’s going to the plot of the Virgin River prequel be about?
The present will discover extra in regards to the origins of Mel’s mother and father, and the way their romance unfolded through the years. Whereas we noticed glimpses of this in season 6, a complete present would flesh this relationship out and add additional complexities not but explored.
Clearly, we’re conscious that Sarah was having an affair with Everett, so maybe this prequel will delve extra into how that results the couple and their family members.
Due to an interview with Swoon with the showrunner, we all know that the collection may also delve into different supporting characters within the city:
“The intent within the prequel, too, and we get a touch of it in Season 7 by way of Hope’s character is simply filling out extra of the historical past of Hope’s household, her relationship to the world… Within the pilot, she says the McRae cabin is a spot that everyone inside 50 miles is aware of, however we’ve by no means actually explored her household legacy to that and what her relationship is together with her household. In Season 7, we’re actually doing an even bigger deep dive into Hope’s character and her previous, which might then coincide with plenty of the occasions of what might doubtlessly be within the prequel.”
So, Hope’s story will nearly actually play an enormous position within the new present, and this can be arrange in season 7 of Virgin River.