Outer Banks star joins latest Colleen Hoover adaptation in first role after leaving the show

He might not be playing JJ in Outer Banks season 5, but Rudy Pankow be back on your screen soon!
Outer Banks. (L to R) Chase Stokes as John B, Rudy Pankow as JJ in episode 403 of Outer Banks. Cr. Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024
Outer Banks. (L to R) Chase Stokes as John B, Rudy Pankow as JJ in episode 403 of Outer Banks. Cr. Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024 | Netflix

After leaving Outer Banks following season 4, Rudy Pankow, who starred as JJ Maybank in all four seasons of the Netflix original series, has booked his next gig, and it's a big one.

No, Pankow won't be traveling to remote and exotic locales in search of gold, but he will be joining the latest adaptation from It Ends With Us author, Colleen Hoover.

According to a report from Deadline, Pankow has been cast in Reminders of Him, which is based on Hoover's best-selling book of the same name. He joins a stacked cast that also includes Watcher and Longlegs star Maika Monroe and Don't Tell My Mom The Babysitter's Dead star Tyriq Withers.

Hoover and Laurie Levine wrote the screenplay for the film, according to the report. Reminders of Him tells the story of Kenna, a young mother who tries to re-enter her young daughter's life after serving time in prison.

It's unclear who Pankow is going to play in the film, but it's slated for a 2026 release.

With production on Outer Banks season 5 starting very soon, this might be the final nail in the coffin for those hoping that Pankow would return in season 5 in some capacity. It sure seemed like this was the end of the road when his character, JJ, was killed in the Outer Banks season 4 finale, but hey, this is TV. I don't think we can ever say never when it comes to a return or a flashback or something to give fans a little something and end the series on a bit of a brighter note.

To recap, JJ was killed by his biological father, Chandler Groff, in the Moroccan desert in the season 4 finale after JJ tried to trade the Blue Crown, an ancient artifact with alleged magical properties to Groff in exchange for Kiara (Madison Bailey). Groff still decided to kill JJ anyway, and the rest, as we know, is history.

Of course, Outer Banks season 5 is going to be the final season of the series. Many loose ends still need to be tied up, and there's always more treasure to hunt, but it's definitely going to be a bit darker without JJ, the revenge storyline, and the end of the story looming over the final season.

We'll share more news about Outer Banks season 5 when we find out! As mentioned, we are expecting cameras to start rolling down in South Carolina on the final season sometime in the next month or so. Stay tuned!