Note: contains spoilers for Orange is the New Black.

Waiting for your favourite show to return (with no official premiere date on the table) can be torturous, but history tells us that the seventh (and final *sobs*) season of Orange Is the New Black is just around the corner.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Warning: This may make you cry. The Final Season, 2019. #OITNB pic.twitter.com/bUp2yY0aoK — Orange Is the New Black (@OITNB) October 17, 2018

The hit prison drama, which boasts girl power galore, has enjoyed six glorious runs, but sadly its time has come to an end – and if previous chapters are anything to go by, this one is set to go out with a bang.

mediaosvideo align='center' embedId='1fd86448-5c78-4496-9725-7e25bd8f9015' mediaId='cd1859fc-d9bc-45a0-8ece-8d6699df11a8' size='large'][/mediaosvideo]

So, what can we expect? Here's everything you need to know about OITNB season seven.





Orange Is the New Black season 7 release date: When can we expect it?

The final season of OITNB will land on Netflix on Friday, July 26.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

#OITNB's seventh and final season premieres July 26 — NEW PHOTOS: pic.twitter.com/Wz2foXG9Uz — Netflix Queue (@netflixqueue) May 22, 2019

Prepare yourselves.

Orange Is the New Black season 7 cast: Who's coming back?



Fortunately for fans, there were no major deaths in season six among the established cast of the show, although newcomers Henny Russell and Mackenzie Phillips weren't quite as lucky – Carol and Barbara fatally stabbed each other in the finale.

The big surprise was that Piper (Taylor Schilling) was granted early release, but that won't stop her appearing in season seven, especially as she had a prison wedding with Alex (Laura Prepon), who will also be back.



Executive producer Tara Herrmann described Piper as the Executive producer Tara Herrmann described Piper as the "grounding force of the show" and they want to make sure they "fully tell the story of what it's like for Piper on the outside".





"I'm so grateful to have been able to play this part of Piper. I'm excited to let Piper go and put her to rest beautifully, as I'm sure [creator Jenji Kohan] will do, and let her kind of live on in her own world, when that time comes," Schilling reflected.





Netflix





Danielle Brooks (Taystee), Uzo Aduba (Suzanne), Dale Soules (Frieda), Kate Mulgrew (Red), Natasha Lyonne (Nicky),Black Cindy (Adrienne C Moore), and Dascha Polanco (Daya) will also all be back, and they'll be joined by at least two other new faces from season six in the form of Amanda Fuller and Vicci Martinez as Madison and Daddy, respectively.





Season six was missing a bunch of familiar faces following the move to a different prison, including the likes of Maritza (Diane Guerrero) and Norma (Annie Golden), so it remains to be seen if we'll see them in the show again.





"If the story takes us there, it has to be organic for us," Hermann explained of their potential returns . "We never want to suddenly be in a world that we haven't set up. But we love those characters and miss them as storytellers for sure, so we hope to always see them."





Orange Is the New Black season 7 spoilers: How does season 6 set it up?

Even though letting the show go will be tough for its dedicated fanbase, season six has det it up perfectly, with Piper getting out and adjusting to normal life.

Netflix

The finale also saw Taystee found guilty of murdering Piscatella and we're not shown the sentence she received, which will either be a life sentence or, more worryingly, the death penalty – but surely the show won't get THAT dark?

Writer Brian Chamberlayne told The Hollywood Reporter that it was important the show did "justice to the people who are going through this experience". "We're hoping that, through these stories, we can talk about the issues we have with the system and then also tell the human stories of these peoples' lives and the struggles that they face," he outlined.

Netflix

Other threads left hanging in season six include Daya's drug addiction and Lorna going into early labour – and if you want an in-depth look at how the finale sets up season seven, we've got that for you right here.

One definite issue that Kohan wants to explore in season seven is immigration through Blanca's storyline. "We hope to tell some of those stories in the next season, but because it's ever-changing, we don't want to get too detailed in true hopes that by the time our next season airs it's a whole different thing," Herrmann noted.

"We look to be able to organically find these things within the characters and the stories that we've already created. But immigration has been an issue here in the country since it was born."

Netflix

Star Laura Gomez has reflected that her season five storyline felt "almost dangerous" because they were "dealing with a situation so intense in our current political climate".

And just because Piper is now out of prison, her relationship with Alex will still play a key role in season seven. "I think that's the love of her life. I'm not quite sure what that means all the time, but I think there comes a point in life to either commit to partnership or to not," Schilling explained.

"Either one is totally valid, but it seems to me that Piper decided to commit to a life lived in tandem with Alex and to just work through the stuff with another human."

Netflix

Speaking to Digital Spy, Danielle Brooks discussed the possibility of the show taking a break and returning once again further down the line.

"I think it could go a long way," she said. "But you never know. With Netflix, the model has always been different from the norm. They could take a break for five years and come back. You never know what the plans are.

Orange Is the New Black season 7 trailer: When's it landing?

The official season seven trailer hasn't dropped yet, but fans were treated to an emotional final season trailer back in March featuring all of the show's favourites.

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

No, YOU'RE crying.

Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io