The Expanse season 6: new series release date, who is in cast with Steven Strait, and will there be season 7?

The sci-fi thriller based on James S.A. Corey’s novels of the same name, with season six based on Babylon’s Ashes

The Expanse has had a difficult life since debuting on the Syfy network in 2016, before being cancelled and then revived by Amazon Prime.

Despite its troublesome past, the sci-fi thriller has received largely positive reviews and season six was commissioned in 2020 and hits our screens this December.

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The series, based on the sixth novel by James S.A Corey’s Babylon’s Ashes, will however be shorter than all previous series.

So, when will it be released on Amazon Prime, who is in the cast - and will there be another series? This is what you need to know.

The Expanse season 6 release date

Season six of The Expanse will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on Friday, December 10.

The series will not run for 10 episodes like all previous seasons, instead the book will be condensed down into just five episodes.

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Each episode will be released weekly on Fridays, with the final dropping on January 14, 2022.

Will there be a series 7?

No, season six is to be the final season of The Expanse, despite there being nine books in total.

The sixth series will not include any of the storyline from further in the sequel, leaving the door open for future screen adaptations or spin offs of the epic series.

Season six will include some content from Corey’s novella, Strange Dogs.

The Expanse season six plot

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In the final series of the sci-fi thriller, things are looking dark and uncertain as the solar system is at war.

The trailer shows trouble in the galaxy, as the crew of the Rocinante battle Marco Inaros, who remains at large after destroying the fleet who protect the ring gate. There could also be a return of The Inspector or Detective Joe Miller, though in what capacity we are yet to know.

The Expanse season six cast

The Expanse cast for season six (Picture: Getty)The Expanse cast for season six (Picture: Getty)
The Expanse cast for season six (Picture: Getty)

Steven Strait as James Holden

Strait has played the lead role in The Expanse for all six seasons, and will return for the final season.

He will again lead his team as the series kicks off with an ongoing war in The Rocinante between the inner planets and The Belt.

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While Strait is best known for his role as Holden, he has also starred in Magic City, Here Awhile, and Revenge.

Dominique Tipper as Naomi Nagata

Tipper returns as Nagata in the final season, after an exhausting and challenging fifth season.

She continues to be torn between her two identities, but she maintains her loyalty to her crew and her upbringing in The Belt.

Her inner conflict at times creates disillusionment between the team in season six, which isn’t ideal when you are fighting against a threat to the universe.

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Tipper has also starred in  Fast Girls (2012), The Girl With All the Gifts (2015) and since joining The Expanse, also featured in 2015’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Wes Chatham as Amos Burton

Hunger Games’ star Chatham will reprise the role of Amos and takes a leading role among the crew, following a tumultuous season five for his character.

Amos’ leadership is challenged from the onset in season six, as the engineer begins to question exactly what he should be fighting for.

After a difficult fifth season, Amos learns there is more to life than battling - could he leave his role as an engineer.

Nadine Nicole as Clarissa ‘Claire’ Melpomene Mao

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Nadine Nicole has been a part of The Expanse family since day one, and her character has endured a lot in the past six years.

For the series, she is the oldest daughter of the dysfunctional Mao family, which at times has seen her work to discredit Holden and create conflict in a bid to reemerge as the leader.

In season five, her character became less violent and, with the support of Amos, boarded Rocinante and looked to redeem herself from her prior woes.

How will she react to the war? We can expect to see a progression of the more peaceful side of Claire in season six.

Shohreh Aghdashloo as Chrisjen Avasarala

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For The Expanse, Aghdashloo plays the role of the US Secretary General and head of the UN on Earth, Chrisjen Avasarala.

Her role throughout has tended to revolve around understanding the conspiracy to ruin Earth, and whether the threat is Earthbound or from the Martian government.

The 69 year old actress has played many roles throughout her career, both on stage and screen.

Frankie Adams as Roberta "Bobbie" W. Draper

Prior to her role in The Expanse, Adams was best known for her role as Ula Levi on the long-running New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.

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In The Expanse, she is a member of the Martian army and in season five, she was wounded in battle alongside Avasarala and Cotyar.

She escaped and retrieved her Martian armour, before saving the pair. She is set to play a leading role in the upcoming war.

Keon Alexander as Marco Inaros

Inaros is the villain of the series, the Outer Planets Alliance operative declared himself as the “arm and voice’ of The Outer Planets and he is still on the run in season six.

In season five, the Martians became aware that he had been responsible for the destruction of Caterbury and sought to capture him.

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Aside from The Expanse, Keon Alexander has also starred as Rami Said in Tyrant and Dominick Baptiste in Impulse.

Also teased as returning is Thomas Jane as Detective Joe Miller or The Investigator, despite his character appearing to be killed off.

Jane took a back seat in season five, instead working behind the scenes as a contributing director. However, as it is the final season we could see his return.

Cas Anvar will not return as Alex Kamal, following 30 accusations of sexual misconduct in June 2020.

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Creators of The Expanse, Alcon Entertainment, hired an independent firm to investigate the allegations made against the Canadian actor.

In November 2020, Alcon announced that Anvar would not be returning for the sixth and final season of The Expanse.

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