It initially seemed like the “S.W.A.T.” spinoff “S.W.A.T. Exiles” would feature just one original cast member, but a television executive is now saying otherwise.
“There is a ‘S.W.A.T family,’ and that family is important. We would love to have other family members 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,” Keith LeGoy, chairman of Sony Pictures Television, said at the Banff World Media Festival this week, per Deadline. “That’s something that we are still figuring out.”
Sony Pictures Television announced “S.W.A.T. Exiles” in May, two months after CBS canceled the original series during its eighth and final season. At the time, Shemar Moore, who plays Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, seemed to be the only “S.W.A.T.” alum reprising his role in the new show.
Moore took to Instagram at the time to call himself “the Tom Brady” of “S.W.A.T.” and note that he was “not going to apologize” for moving forward with the new opportunity.
“Just like in sports, Tom Brady might be the quarterback, but people get traded,” he continued. “Tight end gets traded, the right running back gets traded, the receivers get traded, but the teams keep on pushing with their quarterback, and I’m that guy.”
Moore also gave shout-outs to each of his former costars, calling them a “strong squad” and “a family.”
After the spinoff was announced, David Lim, who played Victor Tan on “S.W.A.T.,” admitted that the news was hard to hear.
“I’d be lying if I said the rollout of the new spinoff didn’t sting. 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,” Lim wrote via Instagram. “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.”
It’s unclear which “S.W.A.T.” alums, if any, will appear alongside Moore in “S.W.A.T. Exiles.” It also remains to be seen where the new show, which is set to begin production this summer, will air.
LeGoy spoke at the Banff World Festival about the “risk” Sony took in picking up the spinoff.
“I think sometimes we’ve gotten a little too risk averse in this business, we’ve got a little too fear based, and sometimes you need to run towards something which is a little bit scary,” he said. “But, to be honest, we’re much more excited by the opportunity than we are scared of the risk.”
“S.W.A.T.” is available to stream on Paramount+.
