Only Murders in the Building creator John Hoffman has shared details about season six, explaining why main stars Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short are moving to London for the Disney+ mystery comedy.
Filming for the sixth season began two months ago in London with new cast members who mostly feature British accents. The new season does not yet have an official premiere date on Disney+.
The London setting and story expansion
In an interview with reporter Trey Williams for The Hollywood Reporter, Hoffman explained that he wanted to test from the beginning whether the series could survive moving to a completely different setting. He felt it was the right moment to take the plot outside the Arconia building, asking how many murders could occur in a single building.
Hoffman said he loves expanding the scope of the series and placing Mabel, Oliver and Charles in new situations and settings for a time. However, he stressed that it remains a New York show, with the Arconia building and the New York City skyline forming its core identity.
Despite relocating to London for an entire season, Hoffman said the team worked to keep the tone, spirit, emotional hook, and feel of the show intact. He noted that London has been an incredible location for the production.
Future of the show and cast additions
When asked how long the series will continue, Hoffman said he responds that he will keep going as long as the main actors want to continue. He added that no one will make the show without him because he loves the group. He explained that each season he naturally questions if ideas are unoriginal or fail to break molds, but he pushes forward as a writer and director.
The series earned five Emmy nominations for its fifth season, including best comedy series, a category it has been nominated for every year since its 2021 premiere. Previous guest stars Jane Lynch, Nathan Lane, Paul Rudd, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Matthew Broderick and Meryl Streep have all earned Emmy nominations for their roles.
Season six will feature a large lineup of British actors joining Martin, Gomez and Short. Confirmed additions include David Tennant, Nicola Coughlan, Jodie Whittaker, Jim Broadbent, Richard Ayoade, Adrian Lukis and Kathryn Hunter.
The sixth season cast is completed by Jennifer Saunders, Sean Teale, Simone Ashley, Amar Chadha-Patel, Rhea Norwood, Matthew Beard, Sharon Horgan, Martin Freeman, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, Jamie Demetriou, Anjana Vasan, Jane Horrocks, Derek Jacobi and Lesley Nicol.
