Most of community TV’s largest scripted hits are at the moment on summer time hiatus, however ABC has some contemporary information price getting enthusiastic about… when you’re a fan of the world of Nathan Fillion’s The Rookie, anyway. The potential spinoff that has been within the works since late 2024 has gotten an enormous push ahead from ABC, and now could have a shot of creating it into the 2025-2026 TV schedule or past.
The Rookie: North is alleged to be nearing a pilot order from ABC, based on Deadline, which experiences that an official order is prone to come as soon as the main man is solid. Per the outlet, quite a few actors have been approached about starring. Creator Alexi Hawley clearly discovered a recipe for achievement by casting confirmed TV lead Nathan Fillion within the title function; maybe a Fillion-esque caliber of actor is required, not least as a result of the North spinoff sounds fairly just like The Rookie. Fillion is on board as an govt producer alongside Hawley, who may also write if ordered to sequence.
The creating venture is ready in Washington state quite than Southern California, with early experiences indicating that it might heart on a male cop in his 40s-50s transferring right into a second stage of his life. Per casting notices for “Alex,” he decides to develop into a rookie cop after his life goes in some sudden (and unintended) instructions. He’d be surrounded by coaching officers, fellow rookies, and a police chief.
And I would scoff on the spinoff sounding principally like The Rookie 2.0, with simply the setting separating it from the unique sequence, however that labored for 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star for years earlier than Lone Star was cancelled and ended on an emotional sequence finale early in 2025. In truth, ABC has 9-1-1: Nashville on the way in which for the autumn. Why not one other Rookie, simply set elsewhere if one other franchise can do it?
The Rookie: North can be the community’s second shot at a derivative from Nathan Fillion’s authentic sequence, which is heading into its eighth season following a renewal within the spring. The Rookie: Feds starred Niecy Nash and ran for a grand whole of 1 season earlier than getting cancelled, regardless of crossover motion with the unique sequence. I am unable to assist however suspect {that a} North spinoff would possibly really get the sting that Feds did not out of being set in a very completely different place. Feds would all the time be in comparison with The Rookie with the LA setting; maybe North could possibly be watched independently like 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star.
It is price noting that The Rookie: North is not the one potential drama within the working for a slot on ABC. The community picked up RJ Decker, starring Gray’s Anatomy‘s Scott Speedman, not too long ago because the its first pilot of 2025. North has the benefit of probably becoming a member of the world of an current hit, whereas ABC viewers could also be within the novelty of a present a few disgraced newspaper photographer-turned-private investigator in South Florida.
For now, summer time hiatus continues, and followers of Nathan Fillion’s sequence are going through some unhealthy information: The Rookie will not be again earlier than the tip of the 12 months. As an alternative, Season 8 will premiere in midseason 2026. Within the meantime, you’ll be able to all the time revisit earlier episodes of the sequence streaming with a Hulu subscription.