Dick Wolf's FBI franchise managed to spawn two relatively successful spin-offs, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, before CBS decided to cancel those and go forward with a fresh new spin-off: CIA. Set to premiere during the midseason lineup, there has been considerable anticipation and questions about what this series will bring to FBI fans.
Unfortunately, CIA appears to be plagued with production problems, including showrunner changes and shifts in the release date. Now, they also have to deal with one of the series leads leaving the show.
Michael Michele is leaving CIA
Known for her roles on shows like ER and Dynasty, fans were excited when it was announced she had been cast in CIA, set to play the head of the New York station. But according to Deadline, she has left the show and will no longer be going forward with the production.
At the moment, it remains unclear why Michele chose to leave the series. This comes as a shock, considering her casting was only announced two months prior in September 2025, and brings up concerns about even more production delays. However, it has not yet been announced if, or when, the role will be recast.
Production setbacks on the FBI spinoff
Originally, the plan was for a few characters to be introduced in FBI before moving on to the spinoff, which didn't end up happening as casting decisions kept changing. David Hudgins, the showrunner of FBI: Most Wanted, was initially tapped to be the showrunner for CIA, but after some creative restructuring, he was replaced by the showrunner of Law & Order: SVU, Warren Leight.
This was a significant shake-up to the production, which ultimately led the show to be pushed from its slot in the fall lineup to a midseason premiere instead. Now, with Michael Michele leaving the show during production, fans might be concerned if this means the series will get pushed back even further.
What to expect from CIA
When the spinoff was first announced in April 2025, it was shared that the series would plan to star Tom Ellis in the lead role, who fans might recognize from shows like Tell Me Lies and Lucifer. He'll be playing a CIA case officer who likes to play fast and loose with the rules.
His partner will be played by Chicago Med's Nick Gehlfuss, who is a more straight-laced, rule-following FBI agent. Joining them as a CIA analyst will be actress Natalee Linez, who you may recognize from Sirens and Tell Me Lies.
After Ellis and Gehlfuss' characters get assigned to work together as partners in the CIA's New York Station, the two opposites will have to learn how to cooperate and solve cases together surrounding threats to the U.S. Ultimately, this odd couple will have to use their differences as strengths, a classic concept.
How will CIA connect to FBI?
When the show was first announced, it seemed there was a whole plan behind its introduction. FBI's season 7 was supposed to help serve as a backdoor pilot for CIA, with the plan then being for season 1 of CIA to premiere alongside season 8 of FBI in Fall 2025.
Unfortunately, this plan was scrapped, and we never got to have those characters introduced to us in FBI. Which is a shame, as those interactions often help give a taste of what's to come. But the production just wasn't ready in time for those characters to be ready to be written into FBI, or make it for the fall schedule.
Instead, at the end of FBI season 7, CIA was lightly hinted at when the show introduced a new rogue terrorist group. But nothing was explicitly mentioned that might reveal characters or plot in any way.
Hopefully, it's a sign that the show will be doing crossovers with FBI in the future. But at the moment, there are no indications of any crossovers or cameos with characters from other FBI shows.
In the meantime, while you wait for CIA to come out, you can keep watching FBI every week on CBS or Paramount+.
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