On June 2nd 2025, longtime Days of Our Lives character John Black was written out following the dying of his portrayer, Drake Hogestyn. Since then, viewers have puzzled what the loss means for John’s on-screen widow, Marlena Black (Deidre Corridor), and whether or not the long-lasting character might ever discover love once more. Now, the cleaning soap’s head writers are providing new perception into Marlena’s future.
The updates comes from Days of Our Lives head writers Jeanne Marie Ford and Paula Cwikly, who spoke with TV Insider reporter Stephanie Sloan about upcoming storylines and behind-the-scenes modifications viewers can count on in 2026.
Addressing Marlena’s romantic future, the writers mentioned, “Something is feasible, however Marlena’s grief for John is consuming, and he or she is definitely not in search of love at the moment.”
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Deidre Corridor beforehand shared the same perspective whereas attending Days of Our Lives 60thanniversarycelebration late final 12 months. Talking with Girl’s World, the actress acknowledged that whereas Marlena is grieving, she doesn’t imagine the door is completely closed.
“I feel Marlena will love once more,” Corridor mentioned, including that any future pairing could be as much as the present’s inventive group. “That’s as much as casting, and our writers.”
Corridor expressed confidence within the route of the sequence, noting, “They’re so good at this. They’re additionally good sufficient to know that’s a giant ask, to seek out any person for Marlena.”
Hogeystyn joined Days of Our Lives in 1986 within the mysterious function often called “The Pawn,” a storyline that finally revealed him as Marlena’s presumed-dead husband, Roman Brady. When unique Roman portrayer Wayne Northrop later returned to the sequence, the present reestablished Northrop as “the true Roman,” whereas Hogestyn’s character turned John Black.
John and Marlena went on to turn into one among daytime televisions most enduring tremendous {couples}, sharing youngsters and grandchildren, the pair anchored main storylines for many years and earned a faithful fan following.
Hogestyn handed away in 2024 following a battle with pancreatic most cancers.
Days of Our Lives streams weekdays on Peacock.
