We have good news and bad news. The actors’ strike is over, so production for Season 12 of Chicago Fire could be starting again in the coming weeks (woo!). But unfortunately, the next season of the firefighter drama will be cut short because of the strikes. How many episodes are in Chicago Fire Season 12? We have the answer below.
Chicago Fire is NBC’s popular drama series that focuses on the lives of firefighters, rescue personnel and paramedics of the Chicago Fire Department’s fictional Firehouse 51. The procedural was renewed and was slated to return this fall, but the writers’ strike and actors’ strikes made it impossible for filming to begin in July to keep on pace for a September premiere. NBC pushed Season 12 to 2024 and aired re-runs of Fire this fall instead.
In a historic deal, SAG-AFTRA finally reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios that would end the almost four-month strike and allow actors, producers, directors and crew members to get back to work. Stars from all three Chicago shows voiced their support for the strikes, and in some instances, joined forces in epic reunions (from Chicago Med’s Nick Gehlfuss and Torrey DeVitto to Chicago P.D.’s Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos). The union ended the 118-day strike at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9. The writers’ strike was resolved in September after the WGA made a separate agreement with the AMPTP.
As soon as the strike ended, Deadline reports that “casts and crews started receiving notifications for tentative start dates in late November and early December.” Unfortunately, the limited filming time means Chicago Fire’s episode count for Season 12 has taken a hit.
How many episodes are in Chicago Fire Season 12?
Chicago Fire cast
How many episodes are in Chicago Fire Season 12? Chicago Fire will reportedly have 13 episodes in Season 12, according to reports from Deadline and TV Line. However, this number depends on when exactly production begins. It’s reported that Wolf Entertainment’s series, which includes One Chicago, FBI and Law & Order franchises, are aiming to start filming on Nov. 27 (right after Thanksgiving). This would allow the series to produce a 13-episode season in time.
This timeline seems likely considering that the writers’ rooms for One Chicago quickly got back to work when the WGA strike was resolved in September. One Chicago Center also reports that on Nov. 1, the crew members were ordered to begin decorating sets.
However, if the season is trimmed down to 13 episodes, it will mark the shortest season in Chicago Fire’s history. The only other time the procedural had a reduced episode count was in Season 9, which only had 16 episodes due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide in Chicago Fire
Although we’ll get fewer episodes of Chicago Fire next season, a familiar face will be gracing our screens again: Taylor Kinney! The actor will be returning as Kelly Severide after taking a hiatus in January 2023 “to deal with a personal matter.” While Kinney was absent, fans were treated to multiple special guest appearances from Severide’s former costar, Captain Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer), after he left the series in Season 10. Spencer will likely make an appearance at the start of Season 12 as we wait to learn whether Sylvie accepts his marriage proposal.
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
