"Castle" has not been officially renewed for another season, but if it does, reports have it that lead stars Nathan Fillion, who plays Rick Castle, and Stana Katic, who plays Kate Beckett, may not be back to reprise their roles.
ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee shocked fans when he said earlier this month at the Television Critics Association that there may be some ideas (if "Castle" gets renewed) for season 9, even though Fillion and Katic will be out of the picture.
According to TV Guide, Lee said that he hopes for "Castle" to still continue and there are possibilities for a spin-off should both lead stars decide not to return for another season.
"We'd love for 'Castle' to keep going for many years to come. There are a lot of conversations going on about how we can do that," Lee told the publication. Fillion and Katic will end their contracts after season 8, and it's still uncertain if they will come back.
But if executive producers Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter were to decide, they would want "Castle" to be the same show and they would want the same characters to be present.
"Both of us are very invested in this, and we understand that Castle has always been about Beckett and Castle. So the idea of that not happening is daunting, and we're rooting against that," Hawley shared.
With that in place, the producers think that the show will go on however the network wants it — even if it means no more Kate and Rick.
A new season of "Castle" without "Caskett" would definitely be awkward for fans, but Hawley and Winter are nevertheless happy that there's hope for the show. The executive producers revealed that they are already talking about what season 9 could offer.
In the meantime, fans can catch new episodes of "Castle" season 8 starting Feb. 8, 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
