One in every of The Rookie‘s standout villains will get an intriguing return replace from creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley. The Rookie season 8 will make community tv historical past when it debuts in January. The procedural goes to Europe, because the premiere episode partially takes place in Prague, the Czech Republic’s capital metropolis, with filming taking place on location over the summer season.
The massive milestone, nevertheless, is related to a recurring villain. John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan) will try and get the higher of Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) after the antagonist blatantly flaunted her obvious immunity in The Rookie‘s season 7 finale. However there’s one other baddie that viewers want to see extra of, as effectively.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Tatiana Hullender for The Rookie season 8, which premieres January 6, 2026, on ABC at 10 p.m. ET, Hawley was requested whether or not Elijah Stone, a recurring character performed by Brandon Jay McLaren, might return, on condition that his recurring presence continues to be typically cited by the viewers.
Hawley responded that, though he hasn’t spoken to McLaren instantly, the reply is sure, and the writers are engaged on a method to carry Elijah again. Hawley defined that the principle subject is discovering a method to organically contain Elijah within the story since he is behind bars. The creator and showrunner likewise acknowledges that Elijah was a major a part of the hit ABC drama.
Learn Hawley’s full response beneath:
I have never spoken to him instantly, however I’ll say the reply is sure. Brandon was an enormous a part of our present for a number of seasons.
The trick at all times is, whenever you truly put any individual behind bars on the present, how do you organically work together with them? In a approach that does not contain a jail break for each baddie, which we will not do. However we love Elijah on the present and positively are gunning to determine easy methods to carry him again in a robust approach.
Elijah was launched in a pivotal episode of The Rookie, season 4’s “Life and Demise.” He is a criminal offense boss, infamous for his tough historical past with Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore). Though the cartel chief has altercations with a number of essential characters, together with an try and homicide Evers, he’s a standout due to McLaren’s efficiency.
He’s a part of a protracted line of villains from The Rookie that slot in effectively due to what the actors carry to the function. However on one other entrance, the writers have been constant in realizing when to lean into and lean away from acquainted faces. In whole, between seasons 4 and 5, Elijah makes 11 appearances.
Monica was Elijah’s lawyer at one level, so there could possibly be the beginnings of a cameo concept there. However, in any case, season 8 shall be a lot busy for the confirmed returning forged members of The Rookie, together with Fillion, Dewan, Ashmore, Lisseth Chavez, Mekia Cox, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O’Neil, Eric Winter, and Deric Augustine.
The Rookie season 8 premieres Tuesday, January 6, 2026, on ABC.
- Launch Date
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October 16, 2018
- Showrunner
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Alexi Hawley
- Administrators
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Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Invoice Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Most important Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro
- Writers
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Corey Miller, Invoice Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff