‘FBI’ Offshoot ‘CIA’ Starring Tom Ellis Ordered to Series
CBS may be saying goodbye to two FBI series at the end of the 2024-2025 season, but a new one will be joining the original for next year.
The network has given a straight-to-series order for a new offshoot starring Tom Ellis. The series was originally known as FBI: CIA, but now has a tentative title of just CIA. Originally, it was set to air as a planted spinoff, with characters introduced on FBI this season, but that is no longer the case. (FBI spinoff Most Wanted‘s characters were introduced that way, with a backdoor pilot.) The new series will join CBS’ lineup for the 2025-2026 season.
CIA is centered on two unlikely partners — a fast-talking, rule-breaking, loose cannon CIA case officer (Ellis), and a by-the-book, seasoned and smart FBI agent who believes in the rule of law. When this odd couple are assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station, they must learn to work together to investigate cases and criminals posing threats on U.S. soil, finding that their differences may actually be their strength.
Back when this new offshoot was just in development, TV Insider asked FBI‘s Zeeko Zaki for his thoughts on it. “Hopefully we get to keep growing the family and the world, and I’m excited to see how they do that,” he said in March.
Dick Wolf, David Hudgins, Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen, and Peter Jankowski serve as executive producers. Hudgins is showrunner. The series is from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment and CBS Studios.
News of the new series comes as the FBI world will be saying goodbye to two of its spinoffs, with International and Most Wanted ending after four and six seasons, respectively, following their May 20 finales.
CIA will be joining a 2025-2026 season lineup that includes series in the universes for two other CBS shows, Fire Country (Sheriff Country) and Blue Bloods (Boston Blue).
What do you think of Tom Ellis’ casting for CIA? What are you hoping to see in the new series? Let us know in the comments section below.
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