Survivor 51 starts its Open Era on Sept. 23 with 21 players and a new twist

Survivor will reset its rulebook when season 51 premieres on Sept. 23.

The new season launches Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8/7c on CBS, with 21 new players taking part. Longtime host and showrunner Jeff Probst says it starts what he calls the Open Era, a fresh framework for twists, advantages and game mechanics. He laid out the plan in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Sept. 22.

Probst, a five-time Emmy winner, according to CBS, told the outlet the pressure to find something new after season 50 drove the rethink. The milestone season had closed one chapter. The Open Era is designed to modernise the show and carry it into its next decade.

For viewers, this means new systems to learn. Probst explained the Open Era changes which twists, advantages and mechanics players can expect, as detailed by Yahoo. Themed seasons are still on the table. A second David vs. Goliath, for example, remains possible.

Some ideas will not return. Probst said the Change History twist, also known as The Hourglass, is one element he does not expect to bring back. The twist briefly allowed one struggling player to undo a result and force others to replay a challenge.

The interview also revealed a new recurring twist that could eventually put millions of dollars on the line. No prize figure or start date was confirmed in the published details. It is described as recurring, meaning it is built to appear in more than one season rather than as a one-off.

Probst named one old idea he would like to revive. He said he wants to bring back the Folklore challenge, in which he tells a story and players must later recall facts from it. Memory against pressure. Simple to follow at home.

This season's cast is 11 women and 10 men. The Hollywood Reporter introduced the 21 castaways in August, then followed up with exclusive pre-game interviews about the secrets they plan to hide. The trailer for the season, first revealed by PEOPLE via Yahoo, teases the launch of the new era.

Season 51 follows a noisy end to season 50. Probst accidentally spoiled the finale result during a live telecast by announcing a contestant's elimination early, according to Entertainment Weekly. That live slip is now background. The focus is the next vote, the next twist, and whether a 25-year-old format can still surprise its players.