‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Lands at Starz With September Premiere Date

The “S.W.A.T.” franchise is expanding with a spinoff series, as Sony Pictures Television has closed a deal with Starz for the U.S. rights to “S.W.A.T. Exiles.” The 10-episode action drama, starring Shemar Moore as Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrelson, will premiere on Friday, September 25, 2026, on Starz in the United States.

New episodes will air weekly on Fridays and stream on the Starz app and across all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms.

The series will also launch day-and-date in select international territories, following an aggressive global sales push by Sony.

The studio has secured distribution deals with Sky in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and New Zealand; Stan in Australia; Rai and Sky Italia in Italy; Disney+ across Latin America; WOWOW in Japan; LG Uplus in South Korea; AXN in Spain, Portugal, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia; beIN across the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye; and Canal+ across the Netherlands, Central and Eastern Europe, Poland, Sub-Saharan Africa and French-speaking African territories.

Bell Media has also acquired the series for CTV in English Canada, with Quebecor Content handling French Canada.

Global Distribution Deals

Sony Pictures Television is employing a windowing strategy for the U.S. release, with Starz holding the first window. The studio has already begun second-window conversations with Netflix, where the original “S.W.A.T.” series has been available for more than three years.

The deal caps an unusual path for the spinoff, which was announced at the LA Screenings in May 2025, two months after CBS canceled the mothership series for a third and final time.

With U.S. buyers initially taking a wait-and-see approach, Sony opted to produce the series independently, retaining creative control.

Production on Season 1 wrapped in February, after which the sales process accelerated with screenings of the first episode in Los Angeles, New York and at the London Screenings, all attended by Moore.

“’S.W.A.T. Exiles’ is coming in hot! I couldn’t be more excited that Starz is bringing this next chapter to audiences in the U.S. A huge thank you to Sony Pictures Television for believing in this franchise and continuing to invest in what we’ve built together,” Moore said in a statement.

“What makes this moment even more special is that we’re reaching audiences in all major territories worldwide. Fans everywhere will get to experience this epic new ride together.”

Cast and Creative Team

Alongside Moore, the cast includes Lucy Barrett, Adain Bradley, Zyra Gorecki, Freddy Miyares and Ronen Rubinstein. Original “S.W.A.T.” cast members Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit will reprise their roles as Sergeant David ‘Deacon’ Kay and Commander Robert Hicks, respectively.

David Lim will also return as Victor Tan in the penultimate episode.

Jason Ning, former executive producer of “Lucifer,” serves as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty.

The series was produced through a partnership between Sony Pictures Television Studios, led by President Katherine Pope, and SPT’s global distribution organization, led by Co-Presidents Jason Spivak and Mike Wald.

The logline for the series states: After a high-profile mission goes sideways, Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrelson is pulled out of forced retirement to lead a last-chance experimental S.W.A.T. unit made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits.

Hondo must bridge a generational divide, navigate clashing personalities and turn a squad of outsiders into a team capable of protecting the city — and saving the program that made him who he is.

Keith Le Goy, chairman of Sony Pictures Television, said: “The response to ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ has been extraordinary and is a testament to the strength of the franchise, as well as the passion and commitment of Shemar Moore, Jason Ning and Neal H.

Moritz, who have been outstanding partners throughout the process.”

Alison Hoffman, president of Starz Networks, added: “’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.”