When the situation becomes challenging and the law requires assistance, it calls in the 20-David SWAT team led by Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore) in the popular police procedural, S.W.A.T.. After narrowly escaping cancellation for a couple of seasons, the series concluded its run on CBS after Season 8, as the network opted to cancel it. However, in the void left by the original, a spin-off is set to emerge with S.W.A.T. Exiles taking center stage. Production is already underway for what is anticipated to be a 10-episode first season by Sony Pictures Television. The upcoming Exiles spin-off will introduce a new cast of characters to the narrative, including Ronen Rubinstein.
The new series will follow Shemar’s Hondo, who is brought out of retirement with hopes of collaborating with a new group of fresh, untested, and unpredictable recruits. Rubinstein will portray one of these newcomers, and in a recent interview, he expressed his excitement about joining the franchise. “Working with a legend and true leader like Shemar has been a dream,” Ronen, who played TK Strand in 9-1-1: Lone Star, shared with the outlet. “I feel very fortunate to step into a production with a crew that has been together for nearly 9 years. A superbly well-oiled machine!” Rubinstein will be joined by newcomers Lucy Barrett, Adain Bradley, Zyra Gorecki, and Freddy Miyare, who will form part of the team under Hondo’s guidance.
S.W.A.T. ran for several seasons while avoiding cancellation twice before CBS ultimately decided to end it in May 2025. This decision and the subsequent announcement of Exiles sparked a mixture of reactions from both series stars and fans alike. Sony was quick to express its desire to bring back other familiar faces besides Hondo for the upcoming spin-off, and it has been confirmed that original S.W.A.T. veterans, Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit, will return in guest roles as Sergeant David ‘Deacon’ Kay and Commander Robert Hicks.
Who Are Those Involved in Creating the ‘SWAT Exiles’ Spin-Off?
Image via CBSS.W.A.T. Exiles will feature Jason Ning as showrunner and executive producer for the upcoming spin-off series, alongside Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty, who are both executive producing through their Original Film banner. Moore, besides starring in the series, will also receive a producing credit on the show, along with James Scurra and Jon Cowan. Speaking about the new series, Ning stated:
“It’s been electric being back on set. You can feel the creative energy shift. We’re honoring what made S.W.A.T. great while reinventing it through this scrappier, more character-driven lens. The new cast came in hungry, the crew’s firing on all cylinders, and it already feels like Exiles has its own heartbeat.”
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of S.W.A.T. Exiles, and watch the first seven seasons of S.W.A.T. on Netflix.
