Netflix Renews 'Orange Is the New Black' for Three More Seasons

Orange Is the New Black quickly became the new black of scripted series when its first season premiered in July 2013, following in the footsteps of House of Cards to become one of Netflix's earliest hits when the streaming platform decided to create original content.

On Friday, Netflix and Lionsgate announced that they would renew the show for its fifth, sixth and seventh seasons. The announcement comes months before the fourth season is set to drop on June 17. The next three seasons after that will premiere on as-yet undetermined dates in the coming years.

"Jenji and her team have produced a phenomenal and impactful series that is both funny and dramatic, outrageous and heartfelt," Cindy Holland, vice president of original content at Netflix, is quoted as saying in the company's press release. "Audiences around the world have come to love the ladies and men of Orange Is the New Black, and we are eager to see where three more seasons will take them."

The show has garnered 16 Emmy nominations and four wins through its first three seasons, along with four Screen Actors Guild wins and several Golden Globe nominations.

Jenji Kohan, who created the series based on the best-selling memoir Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman, has committed to staying on as executive producer and showrunner for the additional three seasons.

"Three more years! Not quite a political term, but still plenty of time to do some interesting things," Kohan is quoted as saying in the release. ""Here's to keeping it interesting," she added. "Three more years! Three more years!"