‘FBI’ Spin-Off ‘CIA’ Recruits a Fan-Favorite DC Star as It Finally Lands Series Order

Despite two shows in CBS’ FBI franchise being canceled last month, fans of the procedural drama can take comfort in knowing that a new spin-off has officially been given a series order, and will premiere during the 2025-26 season. The best part? Lucifer‘s Tom Ellis has been cast in the lead role of what’s known right now as CIA.

Per Deadline, Ellis will star in the new series from Dick Wolf, which sees FBI: Most Wanted showrunner David Hudgins once again take point. Executive producers include former CIA officer David Chasteen, Nicole Perlman, and Peter Jankowski. Like the flagship series, this new outing will have all the drama and intrigue fans have come to expect from the franchise, and focus on two agents who become unlikely partners to help bring down various threats:

“CIA centers 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.”

Ellis rose to worldwide fame thanks to his portrayal of the devil in the hit series Lucifer, which started out on Fox before making the jump to Netflix to finish out its run. The alternate version of the DC character who appeared in The Sandman comics was a big hit with fans, thanks in part to Ellis’ range, which allowed him to play both good and evil with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure; something he first displayed in the BBC sitcom Miranda. There’s no word yet on who will star alongside him as his FBI partner in CIA, nor is it known at this time if any characters from the original series will appear in the spinoff.

‘CIA’ Isn’t the Only CBS Spin-Off to Premiere in the Fall

While CBS has found success with new shows such as Tracker, it’s banking on more spin-offs to help the network maintain its strong ratings heading into the 2025-26 season. CIA won’t be the only show spun-off from another series to premiere later this year, as franchises such as Fire Country and Blue Bloods will also be represented.

Morena Baccarin will take the lead in Sheriff Country, which sees her character Mickey Fox investigate criminal activity and patrol the streets of small-town Edgewater, while contending with her ex-con father and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter. Following that, Boston Blue will feature Donnie Wahlberg’s character from Blue Bloods, Danny Reagan, making the jump from New York to Boston to help keep law and order in the streets.

Other CBS favorites will also be back in the fall, including Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage (which is itself a spin-off from The Big Bang Theory), and NCIS. No premiere date has been set yet for CIA, but we’ll have more news on the project as it becomes available