Steven Cree stole the hearts of fans as the adorable and kind-hearted Ian Murray in Outlander. Will the character be in Outlander Season 5?
From his first appearance, Outlander fans were excited to see Ian Murray. Steven Cree’s portrayal is close to the book from the beginning and we get this insight into the life at Lallybroch — also the insight of an outsider in the Fraser family. He offered a way in for Claire and for the audience. So, now the question is whether Ian will be in Outlander Season 5.
There are some very minor book spoilers in this post. If you haven’t read “The Fiery Cross,” then you may not want to read on. It’s up to you.
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The simple answer is that Ian Murray will likely not be in the fifth season. It’s not a fault with the actor. If the show is going to stick to just the one book then there is no reason to bring Steven Cree’s character into the season.
Ian Murray is only mentioned, along with Jenny and others at Lallybroch, in the fifth book. The action is in the Colonies in the past. Nothing takes place in 18th-century Scotland. So, there’s no need for the characters to appear.
Of course, the writers could change their mind. They’ll know that not having the character back for a season could spell danger for the future. After all, actors will move on for other work and that could make it possible to fit schedules together for Outlander Season 6. We’re already seeing this issue with Jenny, as Laura Donnelly’s life took a different path that wouldn’t align with Season 4 filming and now there’s a chance she won’t be back in the future.
It would be a big change to bring Ian back in Outlander Season 5, though. The only way that it would work is if some of Book 6, “A Breath of Snow and Ashes,” is included in the fifth season. Combining two books will likely have been a discussion the EPs had but whether they’ve chosen to do it or not is another thing.
Ian Murray is an important character early on but not as much later. It would have been nice to see him more this season and into the next, but it’s just the way life goes. This is Claire’s story of Jamie, after all.
Would you like to see Ian Murray return? What would you like to see the Outlander writers do in terms of combining or not combining the books? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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