‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 5: Release Date, Cast Members Returning From SHU?

Orange Is the New Black is coming back for Season 5 and the popular Netflix series has been renewed for two additional seasons. The series has a large cast with about forty inmates, some of which are in the SHU. Orange Is The New Black release date is expected to be in June or July 2017 following the schedule of the first four seasons.

So which cast mates can you expect in Season 5? It’s expected that Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman, Laura Prepon as Alex Vause, Michael Harney as Sam Healy, Kate Mulgrew “Red” inmate, Uzo Aduba as Crazy Eyes, Danielle Brooks as Taystee, and Dasha Polanco as Daya will be returning.

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Orange is the New Black Season 4 presented a much darker turn in the series with a favorite cast member dying and the inmates fighting back against a new oppressive prison guard system led by Piscatella. In the finale of Season 4, Daya is holding Humphrey and McCullough hostage at gunpoint, she is encouraged by the other inmates to pull the trigger.

The consequences and Daya’s actions are yet to be revealed and will continue in Season 5. Judy King doesn’t quite make it out of the prison, which opens up her return. Many fans suspect that she will help reveal the injustice that is going on in the prison, while Daya will have to face some form of punishment whether she pulls the trigger or not.

Orange is the New Black creators, actors, and producers have not given many details regarding Season 5. There have not been any new cast members announced; however, many could return from the SHU. Sophia Bursett spent most of Season 4 in the security housing unit and Sister Ingalls ended up there trying to get to her. Ruby Rose’s Stella could also make an appearance in Season 5. Recent reports state that Ruby Rose has joined the cast of Perfect Pitch 3; however, it is not clear whether this will affect her role in Orange is the New Black Season 5 if she is to make an appearance.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dasha Polanco suggests that her character may pull the trigger.

“Yes,” Polanco says. “I think Daya’s definitely experiencing some postpartum depression. She might pull back and think about being a mother and not wanting to miss the opportunity of being with her child. But a woman going through postpartum — at that point, they’re very fragile and very sensitive.”

Dasha also spoke about one of the rumored returning cast Bennett, who is played by Matt McGorry. Bennett couldn’t handle the baby situation and left thus leaving the window for his return. In the interview with THR, Polanco said the following:

“I love working with him, but he has another job and he’s doing great things. Daya wants love. She’s a hopeless romantic. Everything in her life has gone to the negative side and if Bennett were to come back, I think she would just cry. Trusting Jenji and the writers, this next season is going to be a lot of revelation.”

Many cast members who are returning confirmed it on Instagram:

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Orange is the New Black Season 5 will continue on with Jenji Kohan as the lead showrunner. The show has continued to reinvent itself every season and remains popular among fans and critics. With Season 4 ending with a cliffhanger, many expect the series to continue its dark-themed storyline when it’s released.

It is expected that the events of the Season 4 finale will lead to many changes in the cast due to possible transfers of more inmates, while many would be moved into the SHU.

Are you looking forward to Season 5 of Orange is the New Black?

Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

[Featured Image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]