The future seems pretty bleak for The Outlaws!
After having a successful three-season run, it looks like Stephen Merchant is moving onto some new projects. In an exclusive interview with Deadline, the creator of the hit crime thriller comedy series opened up about the uncertain future of the show, which might be eyeing to end as a threequel, after the new season premieres on Prime Video this Friday, May 31, 2024.
Despite teasing “never say never” on making more seasons, Merchant, 49, refrained away from raising any high hopes among the fans. “The problem at the moment is whenever I finish a project I feel a bit burned out and need to take some time away to regroup,” he reasons about not making any more seasons due to his work obligations which has kept him booked and busy.
“I think this series concludes in a very nice way and hopefully might bring a tear to the eye, so if it does then that would be great,” Merchant revealed to the outlet. Further stating, “I am so pleased it’s run this long. I’ve enjoyed the cast, filming in my hometown of Bristol and dropping into this genre. It ticks a lot of boxes for me in terms of what I wanted to do with it.”
Right now, Merchant is preparing for a stand-up comedy tour while also working on developing film scripts, along with executive producing Greg Daniels’ highly awaited “The Office” spin-off series, which has been in the works since late 2023. The mockumentary-style show is set in the same universe with a new cast, and the official logline reads:
“The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters.”
Furthermore, in the days leading up to the release of “The Outlaws” Season 3, Merchant has also cleared up rumors surrounding the overall tonal shift in the new five episodes.
“There was a bit more social commentary earlier on whereas now I think that has given over more to the character stuff and we are trying to make sure each character has a fresh arc so we aren’t repeating ourselves,” he added. “Aside from that, the tone has remained fairly consistent. The mix of humor and crime thriller was slightly less familiar years ago.”
The series follows a group of strangers from different walks of life forced together to complete a community payback sentence in Bristol. The official synopsis of the third season follows:
“With crime boss The Dean (Claes Bang, Bad Sisters), behind bars awaiting trial, the Outlaws are moving on with their lives—until one of their own returns with a deadly secret, hurling them back into mortal danger. As a murder manhunt closes in on the gang, can they prove their innocence before The Dean’s case collapses, and he comes looking for revenge?”
Apart from Merchant reprising his role as Greg, the returning cast members also include Rhianne Barreto as Rani, Gamba Cole as Ben, Jessica Gunning as Diane, Darren Boyd as John, Clare Perkins as Myrna, Eleanor Tomlinson as Lady Gabby, Charles Babalola as Malaki, Tom Hanson as Spencer and Christopher Walken as Frank among other recurring roles. Lastly, the global distribution of the show was handled by BBC Studios for all three seasons.
Watch the official trailer below:
The third season of “The Outlaws” will be streaming in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Nordics on Prime Video.