‘The Rookie: North’ officially lands at ABC with Jay Ellis in starring role

The 10-episode series marks the latest expansion of ABC’s long-running “The Rookie” universe following the short-lived “The Rookie: Feds.”

ABC is officially expanding “The Rookie” franchise with a new spinoff series, “The Rookie: North,” starring Jay Ellis. The network has picked up the drama to series ahead of unveiling its 2026-27 television schedule, according to Deadline.

The new series is expected to receive a 10-episode order and premiere during ABC’s midseason lineup alongside the flagship series “The Rookie,” which stars Nathan Fillion as Officer John Nolan. The original show has already secured a full-season renewal for its ninth season.

Created by Alexi Hawley, “The Rookie: North” follows Alex Holland, played by Ellis, a man searching for purpose after a violent home invasion changes the direction of his life. Holland joins the Pierce County Police Department as a rookie officer, navigating police work across the Pacific Northwest, from urban areas to isolated rural communities where backup can be difficult to reach.

The pilot episode reportedly already includes an appearance from Fillion’s John Nolan, setting up future crossover opportunities between the two series. Hawley previously hinted that viewers could expect “a couple” crossover episodes each season if the spinoff moved forward.

The cast also includes Chris Sullivan, Karen Fukuhara, Froy Gutierrez, Janet Montgomery, Mya Lowe and Malik Watson.

Like the original series, the new drama is produced by Lionsgate Television in partnership with 20th Television. Hawley will continue serving as executive producer and showrunner on both shows, while Fillion will also executive produce the spinoff.

“The Rookie: North” becomes the second spinoff in the franchise following “The Rookie: Feds,” which starred Niecy Nash and aired for one season between 2022 and 2023.