'Orange Is the New Black' Season 4 Cast and Release Date: Will Britney Spears and Caitlin Jenner Make Appearances?

Oct 09, 2015 03:43 PM EDT

Orange is the New Black is one of Netflix's big shows, like Daredevil and House of Cards.  Season 4 was decided months before Season 3 was brought to Netflix, and it looks like viewers of the drama/comedy set in a woman's prison will be in for more when Orange is the New Black returns for Season 4.  This is what is known about Orange is the New Black Season 4 Release Date and News, including possible appearances from Britney Spears and Caitlyn Jenner. 

According to Franchise Herald, Orange is the New Black cast member Taryn Manning ("Pennsatucky") dropped some hints that Britney Spears could be dropping by Litchfield Penitentiary.  Manning has worked with the pop princess during her film Crossroads, and Manning admires Spears' acting and would love for Netflix to make a place for her in Season 4. 

As far as other special guest stars are concerned, there are talks that Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner) would also be making an appearance.  Unlike Spears, it sounds like her role has already been cast as Jenner's character would be a new friend to Sophia, the transgender character played by Laverne Cox.  In Season 3, Sophia's friends turned on her, and Caitlyn plans to stand with Sophia. 

According to Pop Sugar, there are other new faces that will be appearing.  Jolene Purdy, who is known for her role as Cherita Chen from Donnie Darko, is also joining the cast, but it is not known what role that she will play.  It is also be reported that Jackie Cruz ("Flaca") and Lea DeLaria ("Big Boo") have been promoted to series regulars, which means the audience will get to know about their lives. 

One of the loose threads in Season 3 was the fate of Laura Prepon's character Alex Vause.  She has left a message on Instagram saying that she is "excited to get out there and make an awesome season for you guys".  It would appear that she was not assassinated by Kubra, and hopefully there will be more of Alex in Season 4 than there was in Season 2. 

Season 3 also introduced audiences to Stella, played by Ruby Rose.  Piper (Taylor Schilling) essentially had her sent away by the end of Season 4, and according to the breakout actress "it could go either way".

Assuming that Alex and Stella are returning, it is clear that Piper has a lot of issues to work out with them.  Alex was upset that Piper was essentially starting a prison business with her underwear sales from female convicts, and it looked like Piper had completely abandoned Alex for Stella by the end. 

TV Guide also says that one of the issues of Season 4 will be prisoner overcrowding, and that Uzo Aduba's character Suzanne Warren (known to the audience as "Crazy Eyes") will be getting a love story, something that was teased in Season 3 with a plotline of Suzanne writing erotic alien fiction.  The one issue that hasn't been settled is whether or not Nicky (Natasha Lyonne) will be returning to Litchfield. 

Look for Orange is the New Black Season 4 sometime in 2016, most likely sometime in June.