While the latest season of The Rookie only wrapped up in May 2025, Nathan Fillion, who leads the series as LAPD detective John Nolan, has already given a major update on the shooting of Season 8, shedding light on its potential release date in the process. In a recent interview, the Superman star provided a glimpse into the filming schedule of the upcoming season of the fan-favorite police procedural series.

Nathan Fillion on where first episode of The Rookie Season 8 was shot

During his appearance on the July 7 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Nathan Fillion engaged in a brief discussion with guest host Anthony Anderson about the upcoming season of the ABC series. In the conversation, the Firefly alum shared some information regarding the filming of The Rookie Season 8, inadvertently hinting at its possible release date.

“We went off to Prague to shoot a portion of the premiere episode of Season 8. It felt like I was shooting Casino Royale. I’m in a suit,” Fillion said. He then quipped, “You’re walking down these incredible streets. I love the history. These buildings were built in the 1800s, but behind it is the old buildings.”

Nathan Fillion’s comments confirm that the filming for the next season of The Rookie is well underway. As such, The Rookie Season 8’s release date should fall somewhere in 2026, most likely during ABC’s midseason premieres.

In addition to Fillion, several other Rookie stars have provided updates on the filming of Season 8. On July 2, Melissa O’Neil, who portrays Lucy Chen, took to Instagram to say that there were “still a few days out” until she was “back on set,” adding “but we’re getting ready.” Deric Augustine, who plays Miles Penn, also added to Fillion and O’Neil’s updates by sharing some behind-the-scenes footage from the sets of The Rookie Season 8 on X (formerly Twitter) on July 8.

Despite the steady updates surrounding The Rookie Season 8, the upcoming season has yet to receive an official release date.