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Get ready for a whole new potential Clone Club to grace the television screens a decade after the original seriesOrphan Blackfirst premiered. The digital platform AMC+ is set to launch the spin-off seriesOrphan Black: Echoesfollowing its recent acquirement of all five seasons of the original show. Ideas for a new spin-off were occurring as early as 2019 until an official announcement was announced by the AMC network in April 2022. The new entry to theOrphan Blackuniverse will involveAnna Fishko(Fear the Walking Dead) taking the reins as showrunnerandKrysten Ritter(Jessica Jones) playing the show’s lead.
Orphan Blackwas a sci-fi thriller television series that aired on the BBC America network from 2013 to 2017. The five-season show wasthe breakout role forTatiana Maslany(She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) who played Sarah Manning, a British woman who stumbles on a scientific conspiracy involving her and a group of women who are clones. After the suicide of one of the clones, an American detective named Beth Childs, Sarah joins her newfound fellow sisters, housewife Alison Hendrix and scientist Cosima Niehaus, to solve the mystery of their origins and survive together. Especially when their two other clones, Russian assassin Helena and executive Rachel Duncan, are extremely dangerous.
The series was critically acclaimed for its thought-provoking and enigmatic story. Specifically, Maslany received huge praise for her extraordinary acting as the five main clones of the story and even went on to portray thirteen different clones throughout the show. She even won an Emmy Award and received a Golden Globe nomination for her memorable performance. Before we jump into the rabbit hole, read further for this helpful guide that contains everything we know so far onOrphan Black: Echoes.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on October 15.
When and Where Is ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’ Being Released?
The show was initially meant to premiere on the AMC+ digital platform during March 2023, most likely to coincide with the 10th year anniversary since the original series was first released. However, the series was delayed and currently holds a general release window sometime in 2024.
Is There a Trailer for ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’?
It was initially anticipated the AMC network would perhaps drop the trailer at the end of March for the premiere anniversary ofOrphan Blackbut instead,they released some first-look images from the series. Thankfully, on October 12, we finally got thefirst teaser trailer forOrphan Black: Echoes, which you’re able to see in the player below.
What Is the Plot of ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’?
The series is reportedly set during 2052, a major time jump after the events of the original showOrphan Black. Krysten Ritter’s Lucy will be at the center of a new conundrum related to the scientific endeavor of cloning. This future setting of the series hints that the development of cloning has advanced to new heights that could prove to be helpful or harmful. That is whereKeeley Hawes' scientist character comes into the story to explore and contemplate this new scientific venture. The original show’s co-creatorJohn Fawcettrecently revealed in aRadio Timesinterview:
The spin-off is a very different show. If you go with the expectation that you’re going to see Orphan Black, you’re going to probably be disappointed. It’s got its own feel, it’s got its own identity. What makes it Orphan Black, there’s a bit of a slow burn to it. I think it’ll be exciting for fans to discover.
His comments seem to suggest that the spin-off might potentially stray from having multiple clones played by the same actress as Tatiana Maslany did. It remains unconfirmed as to what length Ritter may portray clones or if the show will do something else entirely different. Yet,Echoeswill most likely have the same essence of mystery that will surround Lucy and unfold through each episode while examining a new frontier of cloning experimentation. The official synopsis reads as follows:
Set in the near future, Orphan Black: Echoes takes a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence. It follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unravelling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal. Ritter plays Lucy, a woman with an unimaginable origin story, trying to find her place in the world.
Who Is in the Cast of ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’?
Krysten Ritter is set to play the lead protagonist, Lucy, along with serving as executive producer for the series. Ritter is best known for the comedy seriesDon’t Trust the B in Apartment 23and her lead role as the MCU detective and superheroJessica Jones. She recently starred in the Netflix filmNightbooksand will next appear in the HBO Max seriesLove & DeathoppositeElizabeth Olsen.
Keeley Hawes also joins the seriesas a scientist caught up in the extraordinary but questionable world of cloning experimentation. Hawes has worked on TV miniseries likeIt’s a SinandLine of Duty. Yet, she is best known for featuring on the Netflix hit dramaBodyguardalongsideRichard Madden. Her most recent project was the TV miniseriesStonehousewhere she worked with her real-life husbandMatthew Macfadyen. She will next star in the biographical dramaScoop.
The rest of the cast includesAmanda Fix(High School),James Hiroyuki Liao(Barry),Avan Jogia(Zombieland: Double Tap), and newcomerZariella Langford.
Tatiana Maslany on ‘Orphan Black: The Next Chapter’ Season 2 and the Fun of Developing New Clones for the Podcast
She also talks about whether she’d want to do a third season of the podcast and what attracted her to the all-new Realm podcast ‘Power Trip.’
Who Is Making ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’?
Anna Fishko serves as the showrunner and executive producer for the series. Her writing credits include other TV series likePieces of Her,The Society, andColony. Joining her and Krysten Ritter as executive producers are John Fawcett,Kerry Appleyard,David Fortier, andIvan Schneebergwho all previously worked on the original series. The rest of the executive producer team includesNick Nantell(Slip), andKatie O’Connell(Hannibal).
The show’s writing team includesSharyn Rothstein(Suits),Amy Louise Johnson(Messiah),C. Quintana(The Baker and the Beauty),Alex Delyle(Chucky),Anayat Fakhraie(Gaslit), andJulian Camillieri(The Audition Room).
