The Blacklist has changed forever.
The eighth season ended with the death of its main star Liz, and now James Spader will have to carry the load by himself as Red Reddington.
However, the series moves on with its ninth season on NBC.
Here is everything we know so far about The Blacklist Season 9.
This article provides everything that is known about The Blacklist Season 9 and all related news. As such, this article will be updated over time with news, rumors, and analysis. Meanwhile, let’s dig down into what is known so far.
Is there going to be a Season 9 of The Blacklist?
NBC renewed The Blacklist for Season 9 despite losing its star, Megan Boone. The renewal came early on before anyone realized Boone was leaving.
The show also lost its showrunner in Jon Bokenkamp.
“It’s time for me to step out of my comfort zone, try something new, and explore some of the other characters and stories that have been crawling around in my head,” Bokenkamp said.
Release date latest: When does The Blacklist Season 9 come out?
There is no word on when The Blacklist will return for its ninth season.
Every season of The Blacklist premiered in the fall except for the sixth. If the show remains a full 22-episode season, expect it to show up sometime in late September.
We estimate The Blacklist will premiere on either September 24 or October 1.
We will update this article when NBC officially announces the date.
The Blacklist Season 9 cast updates
Megan Boone, who has served as the main character on The Blacklist since its first season will not be back.
Her character of Liz died at the end of Season 8, meaning the next season of The Blacklist will have to come up with a new hero.
“This experience, for me, has been an entire life inside of my own life,” Boone wrote. “These eight years playing Liz Keen have helped me better define the world and myself, as she set out to do the same. Liz sought incorruptible familial bonds, and collided with powerful forces to reveal the boundaries where a cruel, indifferent world ended and she began.”
“As her story ends I am grateful, most of all for the people I shared this time with: my fellow cast members present and past, our incredible crew who carried every single day for all involved, and those of you we entertained,” Boone finished.
The good news is that The Blacklist practiced this in Season 8 since Liz disappeared for a long period of time when she went into hiding after going from an investigator to a criminal. With her missing for so long, the show never missed a beat.
James Spader will be back for The Blacklist Season 9 as Red Reddington, although his role is unknown with Liz dead and gone.
There is also the fact that Liz left her daughter Agnes behind, now orphaned. Will Red step in and find someone who can care for the child and give her a good life now that her mother is gone?
The Blacklist Season 9 spoilers
Everything is changing in The Blacklist Season 9.
The Blacklist Season 8 finale saw the main protagonist from the series die at the end, and now Red is left alone with his guilt.
The season finale saw Red give Liz a way out. He offered her a chance to kill him and take his place as the new holder of the Blacklist. By killing him in public, she would make sure it is televised and all criminals would realize her power.
It didn’t work out.
Liz asked Red to tell her the truth about who he is and what his relationship with her mother was. He tells her that he will leave her a note for her to read after his death that explains everything.
She never got a chance to read the note, as Neville’s henchman Vandyke (Lukas Hassel) shoots and murders Liz, fulfilling his boss’s orders of having her die in front of Red. Red responds by killing Vandyke and then whispers something in Liz’s ear as she dies.
What does he tell her? Will we ever know?
There are a lot of theories out there, but the biggest one is that Red is Liz’s mother Katarina. He and Katarina both share the burns and he told Liz he was there when the photo of Liz and her mother was taken. He also says he is closer to Katarina than Liz could ever know.
If this is true, there is a good chance The Blacklist will never tell the viewers because Red has no reason to reveal the truth now. If this is how things go in Season 9, expect many fans of the show to revolt since this is a mystery that has simmered for eight seasons now.
With that said, there is no way to know where The Blacklist Season 9 goes from here with Liz’s death.
NBC has yet to announce when The Blacklist Season 9 will premiere.