Most of network TV's biggest scripted hits are currently on summer hiatus, but ABC has some fresh news worth getting excited about... if you're a fan of the world of Nathan Fillion's The Rookie, anyway. The potential spinoff that has been in the works since late 2024 has gotten a big push forward from ABC, and now may have a shot of making it into the 2025-2026 TV schedule or beyond.
The Rookie: North is said to be nearing a pilot order from ABC, according to Deadline, which reports that an official order is likely to come once the leading man is cast. Per the outlet, a number of actors have been approached about starring. Creator Alexi Hawley obviously found a recipe for success by casting proven TV lead Nathan Fillion in the title role; perhaps a Fillion-esque caliber of actor is needed, not least because the North spinoff sounds pretty similar to The Rookie. Fillion is on board as an executive producer alongside Hawley, who will also write if ordered to series.
The developing project is set in Washington state rather than Southern California, with early reports indicating that it would center on a male cop in his 40s-50s moving into a second stage of his life. Per casting notices for "Alex," he decides to become a rookie cop after his life goes in some unexpected (and unintended) directions. He'd be surrounded by training officers, fellow rookies, and a police chief.
And I might scoff at the spinoff sounding basically like The Rookie 2.0, with just the setting separating it from the original series, but that worked for 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star for years before Lone Star was cancelled and ended on an emotional series finale early in 2025. In fact, ABC has 9-1-1: Nashville on the way for the fall. Why not another Rookie, just set elsewhere if another franchise can do it?
The Rookie: North would be the network's second shot at a spinoff from Nathan Fillion's original series, which is heading into its eighth season following a renewal in the spring. The Rookie: Feds starred Niecy Nash and ran for a grand total of one season before getting cancelled, despite crossover action with the original series. I can't help but suspect that a North spinoff might actually get the edge that Feds didn't out of being set in a totally different place. Feds would always be compared to The Rookie with the LA setting; perhaps North could be watched independently like 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star.
It's worth noting that The Rookie: North isn't the only potential drama in the running for a slot on ABC. The network picked up RJ Decker, starring Grey's Anatomy's Scott Speedman, recently as the its first pilot of 2025. North has the advantage of potentially joining the world of an existing hit, while ABC viewers may be interested in the novelty of a show about a disgraced newspaper photographer-turned-private investigator in South Florida.
For now, summer hiatus continues, and fans of Nathan Fillion's series are facing some bad news: The Rookie won't be back before the end of the year. Instead, Season 8 will premiere in midseason 2026. In the meantime, you can always revisit earlier episodes of the series streaming with a Hulu subscription.
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