S.W.A.T. Exiles spinoff finally gets a date — but there's a catch

S.W.A.T. has been one of CBS's go-to action dramas for yonks, so you might expect any spin-off news to follow a fairly predictable route: CBS greenlights it, it lands in September, job done. Well, not this time.

‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Gets a New Address

The upcoming spin-off, now officially called 'S.W.A.T. Exiles', is set to launch on 25 September 2026. But don’t bother flipping over to CBS—this one is actually airing on Starz instead. Yes, you read that right: after eight seasons on CBS, the S.W.A.T. franchise is jumping networks entirely for its spin-off. I can’t remember the last time an established property packed its bags for cable at this late stage, but here we are.

It’s all a bit businessy behind the scenes: Sony Pictures Television, who produce the S.W.A.T. shows, did a deal with Starz to bag the U.S. airing rights for Exiles. And, in an extra layer of complication, another (as yet unannounced) network will get second dibs after its Starz run. Word is, that could be Netflix, but nothing’s official yet.

This Is Becoming a Bit of a Travelling Circus

The distribution gymnastics don’t stop at the U.S. border. Canadian fans will need to make their way to CTV and Crave next year if they want to keep up. Apparently, this move is fast becoming the norm for the spin-off, swapping networks between countries.

Original S.W.A.T.: A Bumpy Ride

It's not been smooth sailing for the original either. S.W.A.T. ran for eight seasons on CBS, but was cancelled three separate times before the axe actually stuck for good. Now the franchise is being expanded, but it hasn’t exactly gone down a treat with the show’s main cast. Put it this way—most of them weren't thrilled by the news.

Cast, Crew and Episode Count

• Shemar Moore (he’s back, obviously)
• Lucy Barrett
• Adain Bradley
• Zyra Gorecki
• Freddy Miyares
• Ronen Rubinstein
• Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit reprising their familiar S.W.A.T. roles (Sergeant Deacon Kay and Commander Hicks)
• David Lim returns as Victor Tan—though only in episode 9

The first season is structured for 10 episodes, which is about par for modern cable, but a step down from the long CBS seasons that S.W.A.T. fans will be used to.

Behind the Scenes and an Odd Bit of Corporate Speak

Production is under the combined management of Sony Pictures Television Studios along with their global distribution division, which presumably explains why the show is pinballing between networks on both sides of the Atlantic.

If you like a bit of PR lingo, here’s what Alison Hoffman, president over at Starz Networks, had to say:

'S.W.A.T. Exiles engages a deeply passionate fanbase that aligns strongly with our audience. We’re thrilled to join forces with Sony to be the first place U.S. fans can experience this thrilling new chapter in the franchise.'