Season four will consist of 18 episodes. Empire is currently in the midst of a three-month hiatus, with Lee Daniels' other music drama, Star, taking over its time slot until March.   For Fox, Empire is the first live-action series to receive a pickup for the 2017-18 season. The series will join animated hits The Simpsons and Bob's Burgers, which have been renewed through season 30 and season eight, respectively.