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The Blacklist losing Megan Boone for season 9

Photo credit: Sony Pictures Television / Sky - NBC Universal
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Television / Sky - NBC Universal

The Blacklist season 8 spoilers follow.

The Blacklist is going to have a very different core cast for its ninth season.

NBC has yet to officially confirm anything, but Deadline broke the news on Tuesday (June 15) that the series lead Megan Boone is set to bow out from the thriller before the end of its current season.

It is understood that Boone's departure was in the works before NBC formally renewed The Blacklist for a ninth season back in January, following lengthy transmission delays for its current season due to COVID-19.

Photo credit: Sony Pictures / Sky - NBC Universal
Photo credit: Sony Pictures / Sky - NBC Universal

Boone's character Liz Keen will make her final appearance in the season eight finale, setting the stage for James Spader's serial killer-turned-profiler Red Reddington to move to centre stage on the show.

The departure of Boone will mean that Spader, Diego Klattenhoff (aka Donald Ressler) and Harry Lennix (aka Harold Cooper) are the only remaining members of the classic core cast.

Fans will remember that Boone's on-screen husband Ryan Eggold left the series to launch a short-lived spin-off for his character Tom Keen, but The Blacklist: Redemption was cancelled after one season. Eggold has gone on to star in New Amsterdam on NBC.

While The Blacklist is gearing up for Liz Keen's dramatic departure, series creator Jon Bokenkamp has already hinted at a thrill ride for the final two episodes of season eight.

Photo credit: Sony Pictures / Sky - NBC Universal
Photo credit: Sony Pictures / Sky - NBC Universal

"These last two episodes, which in a weird way are kind of a companion piece, are incredibly surprising," he told EW.

"It's really hard after eight years to find new surprises, and I think these next two episodes have some of the biggest surprises we've had in eight years."

The Blacklist continues on Wednesday, June 16 at 10pm ET on NBC. In the UK, viewers can find it on Sky One.


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