‘Orange Is the New Black’ Sets Season 6 Premiere Date

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Orange Is the New Black” fans, rejoice!

Season 6 of the Emmy-winning Netflix prison dramedy finally has a premiere date. The new season will drop on July 27, announced Tuesday. The news comes almost exactly one year after the release of Season 5, which debuted on June 9 last year.

Viewers of the show will remember that Season 5 saw the inmates take over Litchfield in a riot that was sparked by the death of Samira Wiley’s character, Poussey. In a brief teaser for Season 6, the Litchfield cafeteria remains in ruins in the aftermath of the riot. A Litchfield prison bus seen through the window drives away before the words “To the Max” appear onscreen, possibly hinting that the women of Litchfield could be sent to the seldom seen maximum security section of the prison as the minimum security section is rebuilt.

Netflix renewed the Lionsgate-producer series for three seasons ahead of the Season 4 premiere in 2016. As part of the deal, series showrunner Jenji Kohan will remain in that role through Season 7.

The series stars Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Kate Mulgrew, Laura Prepon, Laverne Cox, Dascha Polanco, Danielle Brooks, Selenis Leyva, Taryn Manning, Yael Stone, Jackie Cruz, Lea DeLaria, Adrienne C. Moore, Elizabeth Rodriguez Michael Harney and Nick Sandow. Lionsgate produces the series for Netflix.