'Reign' season 4 release date news 2016: Show absent from The CW's fall lineup; Valid reason for premiere's delay bared

New characters have been added to "Reign" season 4, and the writers themselves have guaranteed that production has begun for the series, so those are enough proofs that the show wasn't canceled and would be back for its fourth installment. Apparently, only its premiere date has been pushed back.

TV Line recently released The CW's fall TV lineup, and significantly absent from it was "Reign." The list indicated that "Supergirl" season 2, "The Vampire Diaries" season 8, and "Jane the Virgin" would all have an October premiere, but "Reign" season 4 was shown to have a midseason premiere with an indefinite date. Primarily, there were talks it would premiere in May 2017.

A delayed premiere is better than a cancellation, which is probably why the writers were ecstatic in announcing the filming has began for the fourth season. However, the change in premiere date could have been something the producers decided on out of necessity.

"Reign's" viewership has seen a significant decline, and if the production team pushes with the May release, it would coincide with "Game of Thrones" season 7's debut. Should that happen, "Reign's" viewership is certain to suffer anew. Hence, pushing its premiere to a later 2017 date would be the more logical approach.

Delay aside, it's all systems go for the series. After casting Will Kemp as Lord Darnley, Mary's (Adelaide Kane) second husband, "EastEnders" alum Adam Croasdell was tapped to play the Earl of Bothwell. History books point to Bothwell as Mary's third husband, a warm-hearted but rebellious man who loved Mary deeply.

Both Kemp and Croasdell are expected to appear on "Reign" season 4 on a limited basis. Nevertheless, their contracts could be extended so they could play out their roles as realistically as possible. These characters are expected to add more complexity to Mary's already complicated life, so it would be worth anticipating how their entry to the show would pan out.

In the meantime, keep coming back for more news and updates about "Reign" season 4.