Showtime has renewed hit drama Homeland for a sixth season.

The network announced the return of the award-wining political thriller, starring Claire Danes, on Wednesday - but surprised fans by pushing back the air date to 2017.

In addition to renewing the critically-acclaimed drama for season six, Showtime is in talks with the show's creators to return for season seven and eight.

Drama: Homeland, starring Claire Danes as former CIA agent Carrie Mathison, will return for season six next year, Showtime announced on Wednesday. The network is also in talks over seasons seven and eight

And Showtime boss David Nevins spoke to reporters on Wednesday and hinted that the show could even continue past season eight.

'Just because I'm not thinking that far ahead doesn't mean [show-runner] Alex Gansa and his team aren't,' he said in a conference call to media.

'Homeland is constantly reinventing itself and changing itself dramatically,' Nevins said.

'It's not on a straight character trajectory path. It's changing season to season. More than most, it's a show that has an open-ended expiration date because of the subject matter.'

Plot twist: Homeland will film season six in New York, after shooting in Africa and Germany in the past two seasons. The new season will find Carrie living in Brooklyn and working for a Muslim charity

After filming in South Africa and Germany the past two years, the show will shift production to New York City for season six, Nevins said.

The move is likely to be welcomed by star Claire, who lives in New York with husband Hugh Dancy, 40, and their three-year-old son Cyrus.

The 37-year-old actress and costars Mandy Patinkin, Rupert Friend and F.Murray Abraham are all set to return.

Action! Claire and Mandy filmed a tense scene for season four in Cape Town, South Africa in 2014

New life: The actress was spotted filming scenes in Berlin for Homeland's fifth season in June last year

Season six will find Carrie living in Brooklyn and working for a foundation that helps Muslims in the US.

The action will take place in the tricky transition of power between a presidential election and the swearing-in ceremony.

'Season 6 is really interesting,' Nevins said. 'The entire season takes place in the 70 days between Election Day and Inauguration, when you’re in that transitional time when all the instruments of governmental power are being handed from one administration to another. A lot of complications ensue.'

Who to trust? Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin will both return for season six of Homeland, along with Rupert Friend and F. Murray Abraham

Critic's darling: Claire Danes took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama in 2012 and in 2013 for her role in Homeland. She also won Emmys both years for her performance on the hit show

The series, created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon, is based on the Israeli series Hatufim (Prisoners of War).

Its first season premiered in 2010 to universal acclaim, followed by an equally successful second season, which scored a 96 out 100 on Metacritic.

Aside from its fan-favorite status, the terrorism drama series has garnered a total of 96 award nominations, wining six prime-time Emmys during its five-year run.

The show has won Claire two Golden Globes and two Emmy Awards for her performance as crusading, bipolar CIA agent Carrie Mathison.