Empire Ending After Season 6, No Plans To Bring Jussie Smollett Back

Empire is definitely coming back for a sixth season, but that season is, unfortunately, going to be its last. Fox executives shared the news on Monday, May 13 and also revealed controversial star Jussie Smollett will not be returning to the show…as of right now.

“We are turning the final season into a large TV event,” Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier told Entertainment Weekly and other reporters on a phone call on Monday about Empire.

“We are trying to go out guns a-blazing. One of the great benefits of announcing the final season is that it actually allows fans to lean in and have the ending they deserve. Six years is a remarkable run.”

Empire was officially renewed for a sixth season back in April, but a statement at the time revealed they have no plans to bring him back.

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“By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s option for season 6, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to Empire,” the statement said at the time.

Smollett was arrested and charged with filing a false police report after he claimed he was a victim of a hate crime back in January.

Though the charges were eventually dropped, Smollett was still written out of the final two episodes of the season as his character, Jamal, was off on his honeymoon with his new husband.

Would you like to see him return for the final season or is the show better off without him? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.