A choice has finally been reached concerning the S.W.A.T. spinoff after offscreen solid drama over exclusion.
S.W.A.T. Exiles will premiere September 25 on Starz after distributor Sony Pictures Television closed a deal for the U.S. rights, based on Deadline.
The outlet noted that Sony Pictures TV is using a windowing strategy for S.W.A.T. Exiles within the U.S. — with Starz getting the primary window. The studio is reportedly in second-window conversations with Netflix after the unique series began streaming there three years ago.
S.W.A.T., which premiered on CBS in 2017, followed a police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team named Twenty Squad that operated in Los Angeles. The procedural faced its fair proportion of battles to stay on the air when CBS picked S.W.A.T. up for a seventh and final season. The network ultimately reversed that call as a result of strong rankings along with viewer demand and S.W.A.T. returned for season 8.
However the celebration didn’t last long — the network canceled the show for a second time in March 2025. S.W.A.T seemingly got here to an end two months later when the series finale aired on CBS. Days later, nonetheless, Sony Pictures Television picked up a by-product titled S.W.A.T. Exiles which is ready to star Shemar Moore, who publicly campaigned for the show’s comeback, and a brand new SWAT unit.
Viewers were surprised that Moore’s character, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, was initially the just one returning after the whole solid participated in efforts to bring S.W.A.T. back. (Several alums were later confirmed to make appearances in season 1.)
Moore, 56, stood by the choice, saying in a May 2025 Instagram video, “No person likes change. I understand that. I get it 100%. But without change, you possibly can’t grow. You may’t win without taking your lumps. It ain’t easy making it in the sport of Hollywood. It ain’t. TV shows don’t last eight years anymore. The sport has modified. But S.W.A.T. Exiles, baby! S.W.A.T. Exiles. Greater, bolder. S.W.A.T. on steroids.”
He continued: “I’m not saying I’m Tom Brady, but I’m the Tom Brady of S.W.A.T. That’s not smug. That’s not ego. It’s a fact. I’m the quarterback. I’m Shemar Moore, a.k.a Hondo. But I had a squad. A robust squad. A family. A team. And I could be remiss If I didn’t say out loud to the world and to them — because I do know they’re watching this — I like you. I respect you. I appreciate you.”
David Lim, who had been with the show since season 1, was the primary solid member to officially break his silence on the drama.
“I’d be lying if I said the rollout of the brand new spinoff didn’t sting. It was tough to see it announced just two days after our finale — with no mention of the solid who helped construct S.W.A.T. from day one,” he wrote via Instagram that very same month. “After eight incredible seasons, it felt like we were brushed aside when there could’ve been a moment of reflection and recognition — for the individuals who built this show, and for the impact it had on so many.”
Sony Pictures TV President Katherine Pope later weighed in on the chance that many fan-favorite characters could make surprise appearances.
“There’s a transparent world that we’re exploring here. We’re still putting all of it together, but needless to say, I feel you possibly can expect a few of your favorites to be an element of it in a roundabout way,” he told Variety in June.
Jay Harrington, meanwhile, showed support for Moore but admitted he had no idea there was anything in development.
“[I found out about S.W.A.T. Exiles] the day before. Shemar reached out to all of us to say, ‘That is what’s occurring,’” he revealed to TV Line in June 2025. “There’s talk that they’ll reach out to us about stuff. He desired to be the one to inform us, and say ‘Your reps will discover shortly.’ That’s after I told my reps, and so they had no idea.”