Fans Think Nathan Fillion Is Leaving 'The Rookie' After Taking on New Roles, but Is He?
"Nathan is staying booked and busy!" — Jennifer Hudson
Published April 2 2025, 1:18 p.m. ET
TV shows often switch up their cast for various reasons, whether due to scheduling conflicts or creative decisions. The Rookie fans recently watched Aaron Thorsen (played by Tru Valentino) exit the series before Season 7, and now speculation is swirling that Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan could be next.
Nathan has been a staple on The Rookie since its October 2018 premiere, but with the actor taking on some major projects lately, and the likelihood of a Season 8 happening, fans are wondering if a scheduling conflict could mean his exit. Here’s what we know about his upcoming roles and how they might impact his future on the show.
Is Nathan Fillion leaving 'The Rookie'?
Nathan Fillion isn’t leaving The Rookie. At least there’s no evidence to suggest that he is. Neither he nor ABC has made an official statement about his departure, and while Season 8 hasn’t been officially greenlit, it seems likely the show will continue.
In fact, Nathan has made it clear he loves being part of The Rookie. During a March 2025 interview on the Jennifer Hudson Show, he called it "the best job I’ve ever had" in his 31-year career. He also praised working alongside Jenna Dewan, who plays his on-screen wife, Bailey Nune. Considering John and Bailey just tied the knot in Season 6, their storyline still has plenty of room to develop.
Further proving his commitment to the show, Nathan gave The Rookie a major shoutout in a February 2025 Instagram post, celebrating its record-breaking performance on streaming, based on the first seven days on Hulu and Disney+, likely referring to its success after Season 7 dropped in January 2025.
He highlighted its all-time high for episode views within that timeframe and an impressive audience reach of 8.8 million viewers.
Now, even if Nathan were to take a step back from acting on the show, which seems unlikely, he’s an executive producer on The Rookie, meaning he’d likely still be involved in some capacity.
Nathan Fillion is joining HBO's 'Lanterns,' which could make scheduling tricky.
This year is a busy one for Nathan, as he takes on the role of Guy Gardner in Lanterns, a DC Studios series set to air on HBO. Picked up in 2024, per The Hollywood Reporter, the series stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, with Chris Mundy as showrunner.
Before Lanterns premieres, Nathan will debut the character in Superman, hitting theaters on July 11, 2025. The film stars Nicholas Hoult (The Great) as Lex Luthor and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
Nathan is no stranger to the DC universe, having voiced Green Lantern in multiple animated projects, including Reign of the Supermen (2019), The Death of Superman (2018), Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015), Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013), and Justice League: Doom (2012).
He's also a longtime DC Comics fan — he even had a metal comic holder carousel stand as a kid — so his involvement in the DC universe is truly a dream come true.