Once Upon a Time Season 7 will happen, but Emma Swan won't be a part of it.
Once Upon a Time Season 7 has been confirmed by ABC, but there are going to be some changes this time around. The fairy tale series is fifth in the key demo rating, even if it ranks eighth overall. However, that could change with the departure of Jennifer Morrison/Emma Swan, who announced last week that she won't be back for Once Upon a Time Season 7.
In a statement, series co-creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis said,
The past six years of collaborating with Jennifer as Emma Swan have been truly magical. Watching her breathe life into Emma, she accomplished more than we could have dreamed possible – she gave life to a brand-new Disney Princess, filled with strength and intelligence and an incredible closet full of red leather jackets.
We’ll miss seeing her every day, but her imprint upon Once Upon a Time is indelible. She will always be a part of the show and its heart and soul ... [J]ust because Jennifer won’t be back every week doesn’t mean we won’t see our Savior again
It's hard to imagine a Once Upon a Time without Emma Swan. Though the show is decidedly an ensemble drama, Emma has been the central figure more times than not. She is also part of the two of the show's most popular ships: CaptainSwan and SwanQueen. It's hard to predict how losing Emma will change the show's audience, should it continue.
Morrison isn't the only series regular whose contract is up for renewal (or, you know, not renewal). In addition to Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Robert Carlyle, and Colin O’Donoghue all have expiring contracts. If they choose to leave, the show is poised for at least a partial character reset (it is introducing two new characters in its finale). As much as people watch Once Upon a Time for their favorite characters from the show, they also watch Once Upon a Time for their favorite characters from Disney lore.
Once Upon a Time Season 7 Release Date
With one exception, Once Upon a Time has always premiered on the last Sunday in September. If that's what they do this time, then expect the Once Upon a Time season 7 premiere on Sunday, September 24th. We'll update this when ABC makes an official announcement.