Empire season 6 will be the final installment of the series, and this also marks the first season without Jussie Smollett's character, Jamal. He was written out of the story after being involved in some controversies, with some reports confirming there's no plan for the actor to return. Yet, a recent report suggests otherwise and hinted the likelihood of his comeback.
In a report from TVLine, showrunner Brett Mahoney revealed that discussions are underway regarding the possible return of Smollett before Empire season 6 wraps up this spring. He said that it would be weird to end the family show without seeing Smollet's Jamal, and this matter is being discussed. However, he added there's no plan to bring him back as of yet as the decision hasn't been made.
Mahoney's remarks go in contrast with previous reports, with Fox confirming they have no plans to bring back the actor in the series. In addition, series creator Lee Daniels also made it clear Smollett is not returning and shut down on the possibility. He even shared on Twitter that "Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire," suggesting that their decision is final.
According to CarterMatt, there are pros and cons if they wanted to bring back Smollett in Empire season 6. The obvious pro here is that it would give the series a chance to feature the entire Lyon family once again. However, the major con is that many people would likely criticize the series for bringing back the controversial actor.
Smollett played Lucious' musician son Jamal since the series debuted back in 2015. In season 5, the actor was written out of the final episodes after being involved in a huge controversy. He, reportedly, claimed he was beaten up by two men and hurled racist and homophobic slurs against him. Then, he was accused of fabricating the attack charged with making a false police report.
Later on, the charges were dropped, but the scandal ended Smollett's role in the Fox series. When Empire season 6 has been renewed in May, the network extended his contract but confirmed he's not coming back in the series' final run. His final episode saw Jamal and Kai getting married, and it was revealed they're now living full-time in London.
In another report, Empire season 6 is on its midseason break and will be returning sometime in 2020. Since season 2, the series had some hiatuses and often last a few months. CarterMatt noted the series will be off until mid-March, and then will continue bringing the final run of episodes. There aren't available details about the ending, yet many were still excited about how the Fox series will conclude.
