Outer Banks May Be Over, but Netflix Is Developing Kildare Prequel Set 20 Years Earlier

Netflix may have ended Outer Banks after five seasons, but the story of Kildare is not necessarily over. A prequel series titled Kildare is now in development, expanding the world of the hit Netflix drama while taking viewers back two decades before John B and the Pogues began their treasure-hunting adventures.

The new project will reportedly explore a different side of the fictional island. Rather than continuing the story after the Season 5 finale, Kildare will examine the origins of the conflict that defined Outer Banks from the beginning: the deep social divide between the wealthy Kooks and the working-class Pogues.

Kildare Will Explore How the Kooks and Pogues Became Divided

The original Outer Banks creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke are developing the prequel. In comments to Deadline, Josh Pate confirmed that the writing process is already underway.

“We’re working on the script,”

Pate said.

“We’re working hard on it with our awesome partners from Netflix, and we’re just trying to get all of it as good as it can be.”

He also revealed the central idea behind Kildare, describing it as “the story of how the island split.” The prequel will explore “how it split into the haves and have-nots, how the Kooks and the Pogues started” and ask, “How did this rift start?”

The class divide between the Pogues and wealthy Kooks has been central to Outer Banks and will become the main focus of Netflix’s upcoming Kildare prequel. (Image via Netflix)

Set 20 years before Outer Banks, the new series will take place long before the original group of characters came together. This means the project could focus on the younger generation of the original characters’ parents while also introducing new figures who helped shape Kildare’s future.

The Outer Banks Universe Could Continue With a New Generation

Kildare remains in development, and Netflix has not yet announced a release date or full cast. The project is expected to feature a younger cast, while the prequel format could allow the story to explore familiar families from a different perspective.

The original series officially concluded with its fifth season, which Netflix released as the final chapter of the Pogues’ story. Netflix had previously described the show as a five-season journey built around “adventure, treasure hunting, and friendship,” making Kildare a separate expansion rather than a secret Season 6.

The class divide between the Kooks and Pogues has always been central to Outer Banks, with the wealthy residents of Figure Eight existing in sharp contrast to the working-class community known as the Cut. A prequel focused entirely on the origins of that conflict could therefore explore the foundations of the show’s fictional world in greater depth.

For now, fans should not expect Kildare anytime soon. With the script still being developed, Netflix has not confirmed when production will begin. However, the project makes one thing clear: even though the Pogues’ original adventure has reached its end, the world of Outer Banks still has more stories to tell.