CBS is officially adding another high-octane chapter to its growing FBI franchise. The network has greenlit FBI: CIA to series, promising a globe-spanning thriller that marries the pulse of Dick Wolf’s procedural storytelling with the intrigue of espionage drama. Early details point to a show that moves beyond standard case-of-the-week tensions and into the shadowy, morally complex world of international intelligence.
How FBI: CIA Reframes the Franchise Lens
Where the flagship FBI zeroes in on the New York field office and domestic threats, and FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International chase fugitives and overseas operations, FBI: CIA pivots to the clandestine side of national security. The spinoff examines what happens when threats don’t fit neatly into jurisdictional lines and when the stakes extend far beyond borders.
Expect narratives that prize deception, tradecraft, and the delicate balance between freedom and safety. Storylines will explore double agents, compartmentalized missions, and covert tactics that unfold in the gray space of geopolitics—where the truth is slippery, alliances shift by the hour, and success can look indistinguishable from failure.
The Stakes: Duty, Morality, and Global Power Plays
According to CBS, the series will push its characters to weigh personal ethics against national imperatives. Agents will operate under layers of secrecy, confronting dilemmas where every choice has consequences, both seen and unseen. It’s a world of dead drops and diplomatic fallout, of intelligence briefings and back-channel deals—an arena ideal for tension-filled television.
Network executives call the series a natural evolution for the franchise: the same crisp pacing and procedural clarity that fans expect, now heightened by spycraft, misdirection, and the constant risk of betrayal.
The Powerhouse Team Steering the Show
FBI: CIA brings together an elite creative bench. Dick Wolf and Derek Haas executive produce, while Alexi Hawley (The Rookie) joins as co-creator and showrunner. The partnership blends Wolf’s proven command of procedural engines with Hawley’s knack for character-forward action and quick-turn storytelling.
Wolf has emphasized that this expansion raises the franchise’s stakes, pressing deeper into clandestine operations and the thorny decisions that accompany them. With this trio at the helm, viewers can anticipate crisp plotting, high-stakes missions, and character arcs that reward weekly tuning and long-term investment alike.
Cast Spotlight: Tom Ellis Leads, Eve Harlow Co-Stars
Tom Ellis, widely recognized for his star-making turn in Lucifer, headlines the series as a former field operative who brings a specialized skill set—and complicated personal history—to the CIA. The role leans into Ellis’s ability to balance charm, intensity, and vulnerability, positioning the character as a linchpin for both action and emotional stakes.
Eve Harlow (Next) joins as a rising intelligence officer whose unconventional tactics and sharp instincts set her apart inside the agency. Together, Ellis and Harlow anchor a team built for high-risk missions that require nerve, creativity, and absolute discretion.
Although CBS has yet to detail the full ensemble, industry chatter hints at smartly timed crossover appearances from the main FBI series—especially around the pilot—to weave FBI: CIA tightly into the broader universe. Producers are remaining tight-lipped, but fans should expect familiar faces to surface when the story demands it.
Timeline: Production, Locations, and When to Watch
FBI: CIA is slated for the 2025–2026 CBS television season, with a fall launch considered likely. That window positions the spinoff to debut alongside its sister shows, maximizing shared audience momentum and potential multi-show events.
Production is expected to kick off later this year. In keeping with the show’s international scope, filming will take place in New York and at various global locations, grounding the series in an authentic sense of place as characters move across continents to intercept emerging threats.
Connectivity Across the FBI Universe
With FBI: CIA, the franchise grows to four series, putting it shoulder to shoulder with other multi-show ecosystems Dick Wolf has shaped. For CBS, the expansion strengthens a marquee brand while offering viewers multiple entry points. Scheduling synergy and occasional crossovers can amplify both story impact and ratings, helping each series feed the others without requiring viewers to watch everything to follow along.
The creative team has a strong track record of designing episodes that work as standalone thrillers while contributing to larger arcs. Expect cases that wrap in an hour but leave emotional or geopolitical echoes that ripple across episodes and, at times, into companion series.
Who Will Tune In?
Industry analysts suggest the show will retain core FBI fans and attract new viewers who gravitate toward spy thrillers. The procedural-espionage blend should appeal to audiences who loved Homeland and Alias, but prefer the tight, efficient storytelling rhythms Dick Wolf dramas deliver.
By foregrounding intelligence operations, the series opens the door to topical storylines—cyber warfare, influence campaigns, emerging tech, rogue networks—while keeping the focus on character decisions and the cost of secrecy. That formula positions FBI: CIA to stand on its own while fitting naturally into the larger FBI tapestry.
Early Fan Buzz and Expectation Setting
Speculation about an intelligence-focused spinoff had been simmering online long before the official announcement. Now that CBS has confirmed the series order, reaction across social media is enthusiastic. Many fans say Tom Ellis is a compelling choice for a morally complex agent, and they’re eager to see how his character and Eve Harlow’s dynamic disrupts—and elevates—the franchise’s established rhythm.
Viewers are also calling for crossovers with the New York field office and for high-concept missions that test loyalties. The appetite is clearly there for a series that blends brain and brawn, giving audiences both tactical action and strategic maneuvering.
What to Watch for Next
As the production timeline firms up, expect casting announcements for the broader CIA team, updates on recurring roles, and hints about crossover story engines. Teasers and first-look trailers will likely spotlight tradecraft and atmospheric settings—think safe houses, embassies, and surveillance dens—while introducing the personal stakes that tie the team together.
Behind the scenes, the creative team’s challenge will be threading real-world relevance into fictional narratives without sacrificing pace. If they nail that balance, FBI: CIA could quickly become appointment viewing and a tentpole within CBS’s primetime lineup.
Why This Matters
FBI: CIA doesn’t just add another title to CBS’s slate; it broadens how the FBI universe tells stories. By stepping into the intelligence arena, the franchise explores what law enforcement looks like when visibility is a liability and the mission is built on secrets. With Tom Ellis and Eve Harlow fronting a bold creative team, the series has the DNA to satisfy existing fans and recruit new ones who crave espionage with heart, grit, and consequences.
Circle the 2025–26 season. If the show delivers on its promise—smart spycraft, high-stakes action, and character depth—FBI: CIA could be the franchise’s most ambitious and addictive entry yet.