S.W.A.T.’s Annie Ilonzeh Discusses Revival, Spinoff After Cancellation

Simply because S.W.A.T. was canceled for a 3rd time doesn’t imply the battle for its future — and potential spinoffs — is over.

Throughout an unique interview with Us Weekly, Annie Ilonzeh mirrored on the battle to carry S.W.A.T. again, saying, “This present is so rattling good. I’m speaking concerning the issues that occurred in entrance of the digicam that you just guys skilled, the issues that occurred behind the digicam — all of it as a complete. It’s such a bummer [but] we’re nonetheless preventing.”

Ilonzeh and the remainder of the forged have been thrilled by the overwhelming fan assist.

“We’ve acquired our petition with 70,000 signatures and it’s persevering with to develop. Each time we do a large push on our socials, individuals [join the] battle after they signal and so they begin reposting and we do have some bites,” she defined. “We’re crossing our fingers. So there’s a explicit dialogue being had. I hope I can say [soon] that we actually did it. We rallied for a 3rd time.”

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Ilonzeh continued: “However we’re making noise. They do see it — producers and streamers which can be — they’re like, ‘OK, that is one thing.’ So if we will plug and play, we’re all geared as much as go. We don’t need this journey to be over.”

Whereas most exhibits on CBS have had distinctive luck, S.W.A.T. was put by the wringer. Based mostly on the 1975 TV present and 2003 movie adaptation of the identical identify, S.W.A.T. centered on the Los Angeles Police Division.

Premiering in 2017, Shemar Moore‘s motion drama aired six seasons at CBS earlier than it was picked up for a seventh and closing run. CBS finally reversed the choice and S.W.A.T. acquired a season 8. However the celebration didn’t final lengthy — the community cancelled the present for a second time in March 2025.

“What an amazing accomplishment, if we may get to double digit seasons. It’s nonetheless nice to have the ability to have fun long-lasting TV with a built-in fan base. That turns into your loved ones,” Ilonzeh famous. “We’re crossing our fingers with our numbers going up on the petition. But in addition we’re hopeful that they actually take that noise severe and go, ‘Let’s do that.’”

If S.W.A.T. did obtain a second revival, that will possible be the final battle for the present behind the scenes, with Ilonzeh including, “I used to be simply speaking to Shemar yesterday and he was like, ‘If we do that for a 3rd time — at any time when we do get canceled once more — I shall be OK with it. I’m not preventing for a fourth [time] as a result of we actually did it and we finish on that.’ We are going to finish on the battle and the win and relish in all of this and squeeze the life out of it. We are going to know that we did it, we did our job and we will stroll away joyful campers.”

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Ilonzeh, who has been on the present since season 8, isn’t able to say goodbye to Devin Gamble. Fortunately, the actress is all for a possible spinoff.

“It’s a hardcore sure. Little doubt. I’d be elated and over the moon. It has simply been introduced up in dialog — particularly between newbies. We may completely do that beginner spinoff,” she instructed Us. “We actually do take that severely that we’re ladies on this discipline that’s dominated by males — and possibly underrepresented on TV or wherever. We take that so severely. I’d like to have Gamble on the forefront of a present nonetheless within the S.W.A.T. world. That may be superb.”

S.W.A.T. airs on CBS Fridays at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the subsequent day on Paramount+.