SWAT Exiles: Everything We Know About Shemar Moore's Spin-Off Series

You can't keep a good franchise down, and that's especially true for "S.W.A.T." The mothership series put up a good fight, coming back from more than one cancellation, but it appears as though it's game over. However, when one door closes another sometimes opens in Hollywood, and when it became clear that "S.W.A.T." wasn't going to pull off another resurrection, the people behind it set their sights on a spin-off.

The "S.W.A.T." Season 8 finale set up a spin-off series, and it's now a reality. It will go by the name "S.W.A.T. Exiles" and will be entirely owned and distributed by Sony Pictures Television, which means it could show up anywhere Sony has streaming or distribution deals. It's something of a Hail Mary that means Twenty Squad's legacy lives on, at least for the foreseeable future. But who will be in the program, what will it be about, and who will run it? This is everything we know about "S.W.A.T. Exiles" so far.

Only one member of Twenty Squad will be back in "S.W.A.T. Exiles:" Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson, played by Shemar Moore. Apparently, the actor contacted his co-stars personally to explain that they wouldn't be used on the spin-off, due to plot reasons. This is a show that plunges Hondo into a new environment and pits him against new villains in new scenarios, which means there will be little crossover between the two branches of the series. He can't be a fish out of water if he's still in the same school, after all.

Moore explained via an Instagram reel why the show's producers made this choice. Comparing the franchise to a football team and calling himself that team's quarterback, Moore declared: "You know, people get traded. Tight ends get traded. The running back gets traded, the receivers get traded, but the teams keep pushing with their quarterback and I'm that guy. So proud, so grateful. Not gonna apologize for nothing. Busted my a** for 31 years to do what I do, and excited for the future."

He's understandably happy that he gets to keep on playing Hondo, but there's apparently some ill feeling behind the scenes. While Moore reached out to some of his colleagues to break the news, Deadline reports that a lot of people who worked on the show weren't extended the same courtesy and only found out when the official announcement was made, including those at CBS. The lack of communication from Sony was branded "inappropriate" and "a slight" by one of the talent reps involved.

The premise of "S.W.A.T. Exiles" sees Hondo in an entirely new place in his life. Apparently, Twenty Squad is no more. Hondo is languishing in forced retirement until he's once more called into action by the government following a botched mission. His new job? To shape a much younger team of recruits and trainees into an elite S.W.A.T. force. He must do this under pain of having the whole S.W.A.T. division permanently disbanded, something Hondo naturally cannot endure.

The generation gap will be a real problem for Hondo. He desperately wants to save the S.W.A.T. division, but these kids don't play by his long-established rules. Hondo is old school, they are not. He may end up having to take the higher ground if he's to achieve his goal. While Hondo's recruits haven't been cast just yet (Deadline reports that Sony likely plans on "surrounding Moore with up-and-comers"), the series has already landed quite an experienced showrunner.

While the cast, the writers, and the directors are not set in stone yet, "S.W.A.T. Exiles" at least has a showrunner attached, and it's a man with a lot of TV experience. The series is going to be under the guidance of Jason Ning, who has previously worked as a producer on the likes of "The Expanse," "Killer Women," "Perception," "Mrs. Davis," "Lucifer," and "The Brothers Sun." He will also serve as a producer on the "S.W.A.T." spin-off. 

Ning's background is actually in writing. He got his start writing for the NBC series "Crossing Jordan" and went on to work on the likes of "Burn Notice," the "90210" reboot, and "The Mysteries of Laura." He has also penned episodes of "Perception," "The Expanse," and "Lucifer." Ning will have a busy 2025; besides his "Exiles"-centered duties, he has been attached to write and co-produce the upcoming "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" series, which he also had a hand in developing for television. Both series are part of Ning's overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, which he recently renewed.