CBS is officially expanding its FBI franchise in a bold new direction. The network has announced it will launch a new spinoff series titled “FBI: CIA,” set to debut in Fall 2025 — and it’s already making headlines for breaking from tradition. In a rare move, CBS has ordered the series straight to series without producing a pilot episode, signaling strong confidence in the show’s concept and creative team.
This marks the fourth show in the FBI universe, following FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, and FBI: International — the latter two of which were recently canceled. Now, the franchise is poised to evolve with a high-stakes, espionage-infused procedural that blends domestic intelligence with international intrigue.
🧠 A New Kind of Partnership
Unlike its predecessors, FBI: CIA will focus on the collaboration between the FBI and the CIA in combating threats that straddle domestic and international lines. The show will be centered in New York City, the same setting as the original FBI, but with broader jurisdictional themes and global consequences.
According to CBS, the series will follow an intense and principled FBI agent who is forced to partner with a resourceful but unpredictable CIA operative. The pair — and their respective agencies — must navigate a world of classified intel, jurisdictional turf wars, and blurred legal boundaries.
“This is not just another FBI show,” said executive producer Dick Wolf. “It’s about how we defend the homeland when threats aren’t just from outside, but from within — and when our own agencies don’t always trust each other.”
👤 Creative Team and Production
The series is being developed by an elite creative team:
- Dick Wolf returns as executive producer, continuing his long-standing partnership with CBS and Universal Television.
- Nicole Perlman, screenwriter of Guardians of the Galaxy, joins as co-creator and head writer, promising a unique blend of action, intelligence work, and character-driven drama.
- David Chasteen, a real-life former CIA operations officer, is attached as a consultant and story advisor, ensuring authenticity in the show’s portrayal of espionage.
Production is set to begin in August 2025, with principal photography based in both New York and Washington, D.C. Some overseas sequences are also expected, particularly for flashbacks and backchannel operations.
🔥 Why CBS Skipped the Pilot
Ordering a series without a pilot is a bold and uncommon move in network television, but one that reflects CBS’s confidence in the FBI brand — and this specific project.
“We knew we had something special,” said CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach. “The world of the CIA hasn’t been fully explored on network TV in this format. Pairing it with the FBI — and our strongest creative team — made this a no-brainer.”
This strategy also allows the show to develop full-season arcs from the outset, rather than adapting piecemeal after a test episode.
🧩 Where It Fits in the FBI Universe
FBI: CIA is being billed not as a replacement, but as an evolution of the FBI universe. With FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International both canceled earlier this year, CBS has made it clear that it is focusing on tightening and enhancing its procedural lineup rather than expanding it indiscriminately.
There are already rumors of crossovers between the original FBI and the new CIA team, especially since both are based in New York. These events are expected to kick off mid-season in 2026, giving fans a taste of the shared universe dynamics they’ve come to love.
🧭 What to Expect
- Genre: Crime procedural meets spy thriller
- Location: Primarily New York City, with occasional international scenes
- Tone: Gritty, fast-paced, morally complex
- Tagline: “Some secrets can’t stay buried — even between allies.”
💬 Early Fan Buzz
Even before its premiere, FBI: CIA has generated excitement across social media. Fans are eager to see how the franchise will tackle modern issues like cyber threats, rogue agents, deep-cover missions, and internal government tension.
“This sounds like Homeland meets NCIS. I’m all in,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
“Finally, something fresh in the FBI world,” another fan commented on Reddit.
📆 Premiere Details
- Title: FBI: CIA
- Premiere: Fall 2025
- Network: CBS
- Streaming: Paramount+ next-day
- Episode Count: 13 episodes (initial order)
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Timeslot: To be announced during CBS’s August upfronts
