When the situation gets tricky and dicey, and the law needs the cavalry, it calls in the 20-David SWAT team led by Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore) in the hit police procedural, S.W.A.T. After surviving the axe of cancellation for a couple of seasons, the series ended its run on CBS after Season 8, with the network deciding to cancel. However, in the vacuum left by the original, a spin-off is poised to take its place with S.W.A.T. Exiles coming to the fore. Production is already on the way for what is being eyed as a 10-episode first season by Sony Pictures Television. The upcoming Exiles spin-off will introduce a new set of faces to the story, including Ronen Rubinstein.

The new series will follow Shemar’s Hondo, who is pulled out of retirement with the hope of working with a new group of fresh, untested, and unpredictable new recruits. Rubinstein will portray one of those newbies, and in a recent interview, the star spoke about being drawn into 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, told 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 make up part of the team under Hondo’s tutelage.

S.W.A.T. ran for several seasons while escaping cancellation twice before CBS pulled the plug for the last time in May 2025. The decision and the subsequent announcement of Exiles brought to the fore a mixture of reactions from both series stars and fans alike. Sony was quick to note 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?

S.W.A.T. Exiles will see Jason Ning serve as showrunner and executive producer for the upcoming spin-off series, along with Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty, who are both executive producing via their Original Film banner. Moore, besides starring in the series, will also get a producing credit on the show, as well as James Scurra and Jon Cowan. Speaking on the new series, Ning said:

“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.”