Today on the Disney lot in Burbank, CA, Once Upon a Time creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis showed off the season 7 second half premiere “Secret Garden” and provided some hints as to what the final pages of their fairy tale series will contain as it winds down.
“We’ll see many familiar faces to the end,” said Kitsis indicating that some of the actors who left the show will make their way back, however, at this point he’s not naming names. There was some buzz that Jennifer Morrison was making a return, but Kitsis closed that rumor down by exclaiming, “That hasn’t been confirmed.” Last spring in a season 7 reboot, Once Upon a Time company players Gennifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Emilie de Ravin and more departed the series.
“Once is home to everyone and there’s an open invitation for every actor who has been on the show to come back in the finale, so we’ll see who is available,” added the co-creator.
“If the question is ‘Will the final two hours remind us of the first six years, then the answer is ‘Yes’,” exclaimed Kitsis.
He mentioned that older Henry Mills (Jared Gilmore), who was last seen in the first two episodes of season 7, would be back in a flashback scene with Regina (Lana Parrilla) in episode 20. Meanwhile for the remainder of the season, a perpetrator is killing witches, just as a coven is being pulled together. Also, someone will challenge Mr. Gold’s (Robert Carlyle) power: “He’s the dark one who wields the powerful dark magic and someone will take that knife. We’ll see a couple of people go after him in the second half and it will be tough for him not to punch back,” says Kitsis.
Other teases about the rest of this season: the Lana Parrilla-directed episode 17 “Chosen” will be a Zelena-centric one. “It felt like having one sister direct the other sister,” said Horowitz. In addition, there will not be another musical episode, which was a high point for fans last season.
But one thing is for certain, and that is despite the detour to Seattle suburb Hyperion Heights this season, we’re bound to return to Storybooke before the curtain falls on Once Upon a Time.
“I’d be depressed if I had to go the whole year without seeing Storybrooke again,” confirmed Kitis about a return to the quaint town.
The duo remained tight-lipped about the finale. They’re not shooting any alternative endings, and it’s “less about tying everything up in a bow, rather hearing the song one more time,” said Kitsis commenting on the thematic feeling he and Horowitz are trying to convey. Both are still writing the season finale with six to eight weeks of work left.
Was there a pitch for season 8? Kitsis says there was, but preferred not to divulge: “We’ll save it for the reunion when they approach us in two years.”
In regards to a Once Upon a Time spinoff or another series, Kitnis said “Since Lost we’ve done 300-plus hours of television in the last fourteen years, we might take a break.”
Once Upon a Time returns this Friday at 8PM on ABC.
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