S.W.A.T. Exiles: Everything We Know So Far About the Spinoff Series (Including Why Some OG Stars Were Upset When It Was Announced)

S.W.A.T. may have come to an end, but Shemar Moore’s Hondo lives on.

Days after the CBS cop drama aired the last episode of its eighth and final season, Sony Pictures Television announced a 10-episode spinoff series titled S.W.A.T. Exiles. While fans welcomed the news, some of the original cast members felt slighted by the timing.

“I’d be lying if I said the rollout of the new spinoff didn’t sting,” David Lim, who played Victor Tan for all eight seasons of S.W.A.T., wrote on Instagram in May 2025. “It was tough to see it announced just two days after our finale—with no mention of the cast who helped build S.W.A.T. from day one.”

The actor continued, “After 8 incredible seasons, it felt like we were brushed aside when there could’ve been a moment of reflection and recognition—for the people who built this show, and for the impact it had on so many.”

Moore, who has played Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson since 2017, told his Instagram followers that same month that he would be the only returning cast member to join the spinoff. However, it was later announced that at least two other original stars would appear in the pilot episode.

After describing the spinoff as “S.W.A.T. on steroids,” the Criminal Minds alum likened himself to NFL quarterback Tom Brady. “I’m the Tom Brady of S.W.A.T. — that’s not arrogant, that’s not ego, it’s the fact,” Moore said in his Instagram video. “Just like in sports … people get traded … but the teams keep on pushing with their quarterback, and I’m that guy.”

He continued, “So proud, so grateful. Not going to apologize for nothing. Busted my ass for 31 years to do what I do, and excited about the future.”

Here’s everything to know about S.W.A.T. Exiles and how the spinoff ties into the original series.

What is S.W.A.T. Exiles about?

According to the official logline, the spinoff series follows a “last-chance experimental SWAT unit” that’s “made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits.” After one of their high-profile missions goes sideways, Hondo gets pulled out of a forced retirement to lead this new team.

Sony Pictures Television president Katherine Pope told Variety in May 2025 that the new series would also explore “the generation clash of Gen X versus Gen Z.”

“Where Hondo is all about duty, hierarchy and chain of command, the Gen Zers are a little more like, ‘I might need to take a mental health day. I want to talk about it. I want to understand it,’ ” she said. “It’s kind of our take on Top Gun Maverick.”

How does S.W.A.T. Exiles fit into the S.W.A.T. universe?

S.W.A.T. Exiles takes place some time after the events of the final season of S.W.A.T., during which Hondo has been forced to retire.

The spinoff begins with him learning how to “bridge a generational divide, navigate clashing personalities, and turn a squad of outsiders into a team capable of protecting the city and saving the program that made him who he is,” per the logline.

In June 2025, Sony Pictures Television execs teased to Deadline that they were “still figuring out” how to bring some of the original cast to the new spinoff.

Chairman Keith LeGoy told the outlet that they would love to have the “S.W.A.T. family” involved “in some way, whether it’s all of them all of the time, some of them some of the time, or something in between.”

Pope echoed those sentiments in her Variety interview, saying that fans can expect some of their favorite characters to “be a part of it in some way.”

Who is in the cast?

At least two other familiar faces have been confirmed to join Moore in the S.W.A.T. Exiles cast. Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit will also reprise their roles of David “Deacon” Kay and Commander Robert Hicks, respectively, for the pilot episode. It’s unclear if they will appear in the rest of the series.

Harrington’s involvement wasn’t always set in stone. The actor told TVLine in June 2025 that his reps had “no idea” about the spinoff after Moore texted him the news. “Because of the way things had happened over the years … I had the thought, ‘OK, we could come back,’ ” he said.

Though he didn’t have a spinoff series on his “bingo card,” Harrington was open to seeing where Deacon could go.

“You know, you never say never, you never close any doors,” he told the outlet. “I’d be interested to see if that’s the direction they go, and, ‘How do they do that?’ That would certainly play a part.”

When will S.W.A.T. Exiles be released?

Sony Pictures Television hasn’t announced a release date for S.W.A.T. Exiles. However, filming for the series began in Los Angeles in August 2025, per Variety.

Where can I watch S.W.A.T. Exiles?

Sony Pictures Television announced the spinoff series without signing a broadcasting company for distribution, Deadline reported in June 2025. So it’s unclear where S.W.A.T. Exiles will be released.

However, the first seven seasons of S.W.A.T. are available to stream on Netflix, with season 8 arriving Sept. 15.