The Rookie: North" Gets ABC Pilot Order;Jay Ellisto Star in Spinoff
The universe of the hit police procedural
is expanding again! ABC has officially ordered a pilot for the long-gestating spin-off series, now titled
The Rookie: North
. The project has landed its lead star with the casting of Jay Ellis, known for his breakout role in HBO's Insecure and film appearances like Top Gun: Maverick.
The Premise: A Second Chance in the Pacific Northwest
The Rookie: North follows a similar formula to the mothership series starring Nathan Fillion, focusing on a middle-aged individual who decides to change careers and join the police force. However, this spin-off moves the setting from the bustling urban landscape of Los Angeles to the vastly different environment of Washington state's Pierce County.
The official logline provides insight into the protagonist's motivation:
Jay Ellis will portray Alex Holland, a man who joins the Pierce County Police Department as its oldest rookie after a home invasion, seeking to overcome past failures. The show will cover policing in diverse settings, from coastal urban areas to rural forests with limited backup.
The Creative Team and Production
The Rookie creator Alexi Hawley is set to write, direct, and executive produce the pilot. Nathan Fillion is also an executive producer, along with Jay Ellis, who also stars. Ellis's casting was complex due to other commitments.
Following the cancellation of The Rookie: Feds, producers hope this new spin-off, closer to the original series format, will succeed. A premiere date awaits a full series order from ABC.