Nathan Fillion has been playing Office John Nolan on ABC’s hit police drama The Rookie since 2018. While the actor has had many projects since then, including a stint in James Gunn’s Superman and a role as a talking octopus in Resident Alien, Fillion says there’s a special place in his heart for The Rookie.
In a new interview with People, Fillion talks about how he doesn’t think he could ever give up playing Officer Nolan and can’t think of what life would be like without the five-time Emmy-nominated series. He said even a decade down the road, he’d still love to be playing the character, but did talk about what he might do if and when the series ends.
“I’d either teach acting — particularly how to act through distraction — or I would do, like, a sunset booze cruise where everybody would still have to call me captain,” joked Fillion. “I’m so fortunate to do what I love to do, which is acting and telling stories, and then there’s this whole other component to it that is so bizarre, the celebrity part of it, he said, adding, “I like to think that this whole industry is a bit wacky and zany.”
Fillion said he’d like The Rookie to last for at least 10 more years, and for the show to maybe spawn a spinoff or seven. “In 10 years, I would like to be just wrapping up The Rookie, maybe handing it off to someone else,” he said. “And then spend a soft retirement visiting The Rookie and dabbling in the four to seven Rookie spin-off series that are still going and very popular. In the meantime, when I’m not working on those, I would like to be in my beach house,” he stated.
Another Spinoff is in Development
Nyla Harper and John Nolan, in civilian clothes, walk next to an officer in a brown uniform otuside from The RookieImage via ABC
The Rookie already had one spinoff: The Rookie: Feds, which starred Niecy Nash-Betts and James Lesure, but it was canceled after just one season and 22 episodes in 2023. Another spinoff, dubbed The Rookie North, is currently in development at ABC. As of July 2025, The Rookie North was “gaining momentum for a pilot order” from the network. The series has been in development since 2024 with Lionsgate and 20th Television, with The Rookie creator Alexi Hawley set to write and executive produce the spinoff. Fillion is also attached to the project as an executive producer. The Rookie North will take place in Washington state and is said to focus on a male cop who is stepping into the second act of his life.
Season 8 of The Rookie is set to premiere on ABC sometime in 2026. Earlier this year, Hawley talked about what fans can expect from the upcoming season following the explosive Season 7 finale. “I don’t think it’ll be months later,” said Hawley about Season 8’s timeline. “I think it’ll be fairly continuous. Not literally the next day, but within a fairly short amount of time… There’s some time-sensitive stuff that we left hanging, that feels like we should [resolve soon] for the audience,” he said.
The first seven seasons of The Rookie are streaming on Hulu.
The cast of The Rookie, including Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, are arrayed in different panels to the side of the title “The Rookie” on the show’s poster.Image via ABC
Release Date
October 16, 2018
Showrunner
Alexi Hawley