The Rookie fans will have a lot to look forward to in 2027. Not only will they see the resolution of the Season 8 finale cliffhanger, but they'll also be treated to a new spinoff. The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis, has officially been ordered for next season, premiering midseason alongside its parent show on ABC. While details about potential crossovers have been scarce, I’ve been waiting for Nathan Fillion to weigh in on the possibility, and someone finally asked him.
Even though The Rookie takes place in LA and North is set in Washington state, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s impossible for a crossover to happen. The NCIS, FBI and CSI franchises are definitely proof of that. While appearing on Watch What Happens Live, Fillion was asked by a fan in the audience if there were any crossover plans for the spinoff, and he gave a very straight answer:
Yes, there are. We just [got] a spinoff of The Rookie, The Rookie: North…. Yes, we got picked up just the other day.
I could not be more excited that there will be crossovers between The Rookie and The Rookie: North! Not that I had a heavy amount of doubt, since Fillion is also an executive producer on the spinoff, which is created by The Rookie boss Alexi Hawley. Still, it’s great to have confirmation. Plus, unlike the franchise's since-canceled first spinoff, The Rookie: Feds, North did not get a backdoor pilot. So, theoretically, a crossover early in the series would be the perfect way to bring fans in.
Of course, that fan question left a little wiggle room for speculation, as Fillion didn't initially say whether he himself would appear on North. Thankfully, host Andy Cohen followed up and asked specifically if the Canadian actor would appear on the new series as John Nolan. From there, Fillion answered another direct answer as well as a funny quip:
Yes, I will. Try to stop me.
It's hard to say when details surrounding the crossovers between The Rookie and The Rookie: North will be revealed. Production on the pilot for North was completed earlier this year up in Vancouver. Aside from that, filming for both shows is set to kick off in a matter of months. Unfortunately, since the sibling shows won’t be premiering until January at the earliest, concrete information on the crossovers may not come until much later.
Still, I'm hopeful that the wait will be worth it. And, in the meantime, maybe some cast members will share some BTS tidbits online. More recently, the Rookie cast reached out to Jay Ellis via social media to congratulate him after his new show was picked up. Here's hoping Nathan Fillion and co. will drop more information in the near future.
For now, all episodes of The Rookie are available to stream with a Hulu subscription ahead of The Rookie: North's premiere on ABC in early 2027.
