Lionsgate Television Secures Multi-Year Deal With Creator of Hit Series The Rookie
Los Angeles, Wednesday, 26 August 2026.
Lionsgate Television extended its partnership with creator Alexi Hawley after The Rookie generated over 12.8 billion streaming minutes in early 2026, securing key franchise expansion and upcoming projects.
Strategic Partnership Extension
Lionsgate Television (NYSE: LGF.A) announced a multi-year overall agreement extension with showrunner Alexi Hawley on August 26, 2026, in Los Angeles [1]. This renewal secures Hawley’s exclusive development and production services for the studio, continuing a relationship that began with a previous deal in August 2024 [1]. The agreement underscores the studio’s strategy to retain top-tier creative talent capable of producing long-running, globally exportable television intellectual property [1]. By securing proven showrunners, media conglomerates aim to balance production expenditure with franchise stability to drive long-term licensing revenue [1].
Franchise Viewership Metrics
The flagship series ‘The Rookie’ generated over 12.8 billion minutes of domestic viewership in the first half of 2026 [1]. Detailed reporting indicates the series drew 12.82 billion minutes of watch time on Hulu during the same period, marking it among the most streamed series in the United States [2]. The show is currently entering its ninth season at ABC, having originally launched in October 2018 [3]. This longevity represents a runtime of 8 years since the series premiere, demonstrating significant audience retention [3]. Average cross-platform viewing reached 10.6 million viewers over five weeks in the 2025-26 season [2].
Expansion Into New Markets
In addition to the flagship series, a spinoff titled ‘The Rookie: North’ starring Jay Ellis was picked up to series in April 2026 and May 2026 [1]. Both the ninth season of the original series and the new spinoff are scheduled to premiere on ABC and Hulu in early 2027 [2]. Hawley is also developing a hostage drama titled ‘The Envoy’ for HBO Max, which was originally set up at Hulu in August 2024 before moving to HBO Max in spring 2026 [1]. This project is based on a June 2024 Vanity Fair article by Adam Ciralsky regarding Roger Carstens’ tenure as Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs [1].
Long-Term Production Stability
Kevin Beggs, Chair and Chief Creative Officer of Lionsgate Television Group, noted Hawley’s ability to create characters that resonate with audiences year after year [2]. This partnership continues despite the studio terminating 70% of its other overall or first-look deals in August 2024 [1]. Hawley expressed enthusiasm for continuing the partnership, citing the studio as an invaluable creative partner [2]. The showrunner is represented by The Shuman Company and the law firm Hansen Jacobsen Teller [3].