Netflix's 'Orange is the New Black' Renewed for Seasons 4, 5 & 6

Days after Netflix announced that their flagship political drama, House of Cards, had been renewed for a fifth season before the fourth one even airs, their prison dramedy Orange is the New Black is getting the same treatment. The series about the Litchfield Penitentiary inmates has been renewed for seasons 5, 6 and 7 before the show's return in 2016!

According to Variety, the award-winning show has done the unthinkable: being renewed by a whooping three more seasons all at once. Besides confirming the show up until its seventh full season, Netflix has also revealed that creator Jenji Kohan will remain as the showrunner for those three seasons.

The move is surprising because it comes nearly six months before the release of the show's fourth season, which is set to premiere in full on Netflix next June 17.

"Three more years!" said Kohan through a statement, The Verge reports. "Not quite a political term, but still plenty of time to do some interesting things. In some cultures, 'May you lead an interesting life,' is a curse, but I don't live in those cultures. Here's to keeping it interesting. Thanks Netflix! Both thanks and you're welcome Lionsgate!"

While it's a bold move to commit to the series for such a long time, so far OitNB has proved to be one of Netflix's most successful projects. Perennially acclaimed by critics with four Emmy wins and four Screen Actors Guild awards to its name (many of these awards for Uzo Aduba's amazing performance as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes"), the show has been applauded not only for its dialogues and performances but also for its very diverse cast.

In a time when Hollywood faces backlash for the Oscars' all-white nominations, Orange is the New Black boasts a cast populated by great actresses of a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, as well as sexual orientations.

"Look at this stage. This is what we talk about when we talk about diversity," said Laura Prepon last weekend, when she and the rest of the show's cast accepted the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series SAG award for the second year in a row.