NBC has given a pilot order to a contemporary reimagining of the beloved 1970s private-eye series The Rockford Files, the network announced today, marking the latest high-profile attempt to revive a classic crime drama for modern audiences.

Written by Mike Daniels (Sons of Anarchy, Mayans M.C.), the new The Rockford Files updates the story for today’s Los Angeles while staying true to the spirit of the original. The pilot follows James Rockford, a recently paroled ex-con who served time for a crime he didn’t commit. Once free, he returns to his old life as a private investigator, using his street smarts, dry wit, and relentless determination to take on cases the police won’t or can’t touch. But his quest for legitimacy quickly puts him in the crosshairs of both suspicious LAPD detectives and dangerous organized-crime figures who remember the old Rockford all too well.

The original The Rockford Files (1974–1980) starred James Garner as the iconic Jim Rockford — a charming, quick-thinking P.I. who lived in a trailer, drove a gold Pontiac Firebird, and solved cases with equal parts brains, sarcasm, and occasional fisticuffs. Garner’s laid-back cool, impeccable timing, and ability to play both tough and vulnerable made Rockford one of television’s most enduring detectives. The show won multiple Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series in 1978, and remains a gold standard for character-driven procedurals.

NBC’s remake keeps the core premise but updates the setting and tone for 2026. Daniels’ script reportedly leans into contemporary issues — wrongful convictions, police distrust, the gig economy, and the lingering reach of organized crime in a digital age — while preserving Rockford’s signature humor, resourcefulness, and moral code. The pilot is being developed as a potential series for the 2026–2027 broadcast season, with casting expected to begin soon.

No lead actor has been announced, but industry insiders say NBC is looking for a performer who can capture Garner’s effortless charisma without imitating him. “Garner was one of a kind — cool, smooth, charming as hell, and hilarious in a way that felt completely natural,” one network executive told Deadline. “Whoever steps into those shoes has an impossible act to follow, but that’s also what makes this exciting. We’re not trying to copy Jim Garner; we’re trying to create a new Rockford for a new generation.”

The original series was groundbreaking for its time, blending hard-boiled detective work with character comedy and social commentary. Rockford wasn’t a superhero or a brooding loner — he was a regular guy with bills to pay, an ex-con record that followed him everywhere, and a dry sense of humor that cut through the tension. The new version is expected to keep that grounded, relatable tone while adding modern stakes — digital surveillance, social media, and the post-pandemic realities of crime and justice.

Daniels brings a proven track record with character-driven crime stories, while NBC hopes the remake can recapture the magic of classic procedurals like Magnum P.I. (which NBC also revived) and Law & Order. If the pilot is picked up to series, it could fill the network’s long-standing need for a charismatic, hour-long crime drama that appeals to both legacy viewers and younger audiences.

For now, the project remains in early development, with no casting or production dates confirmed. But the announcement alone has already sparked excitement — and skepticism — among fans who grew up watching Garner’s Rockford outsmart criminals with nothing more than a payphone and a wry smile.

James Garner set an impossibly high bar. NBC has its work cut out for them. But if anyone can bring a new Rockford into the 21st century, it might just be the network that helped make the original a legend.