THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER – The critically-favored period drama will be on the pay cable network for the foreseeable future.

Starz is committing to at least two more seasons of Outlander, renewing the series with an order that will cover the third and fourth novels in Diana Gabaldon’s sprawling source material.

The cable network announced the news on Wednesday, a few weeks into the sophomore season’s run, noting that the books Voyager and Drums of Autumn will be adapted during the upcoming seasons.

“Outlander is like nothing seen before on television,” boasted Starz CEO Chris Albrecht in a statement. “From its depiction of a truly powerful female lead character, to the devastating decimation of the Highlander way of life, to what is a rarely seen genuine and timeless love story, it is a show that not only transports the viewer, but inspires the passion and admiration of its fans. On this 25th anniversary of the publication of the first book in the U.S., we are thrilled and honored to be able to continue the story that began with author Diana Gabaldon, and is brought to life by the incredibly talented Ronald D. Moore. There are no better storytellers for Outlander than this team, both in front and behind the camera.”

The network has no reason to slow on its commitment to the franchise. Produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining and Supply Company, and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television, the second season is has been outperforming the first in early time-shifting data. The initial run, 16 episodes spread out in two runs, averaged 5 million multiplatform viewers per episode.

Outlander premiered with a built-in audience. The book series, with eight titles in total, has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide.

This renewal does not include a set episode count, and Starz has already proven that it’s happy to be a little loose with the Outlander roll-out. After the second batch of season one episodes, the show was off the air for more than a year.