CBS has officially greenlit a bold new chapter in its successful FBI franchise: a brand-new spinoff series titled CIA, starring Tom Ellis in the lead role. This exciting addition promises to merge the world of domestic law enforcement with international intelligence, offering a refreshing, high-stakes blend of drama and espionage.
🎬 A Fresh Take on FBI Storytelling
While the flagship series FBI focuses on domestic crime in New York and the now-canceled FBI: International explored overseas missions, CIA is designed to dive deeper into global intelligence operations, blurring the line between law enforcement and spycraft.
Unlike previous spinoffs, CIA will operate on a larger geopolitical stage, dealing with covert missions, shadowy threats, and high-level international conspiracies. According to CBS executives, this new direction will expand the FBI universe “into more layered, morally complex territory.”
⭐ Tom Ellis Joins the Franchise
In a casting decision that immediately turned heads, Tom Ellis, best known for his role as Lucifer Morningstar in Lucifer, has signed on as the series’ lead. He will portray Evan Wilder, a charismatic but unpredictable CIA operative with a mysterious past and a strained relationship with federal law enforcement.
Wilder is described as a brilliant but unconventional agent who doesn’t play by the rules — and is reluctantly forced to team up with a straight-laced FBI special agent. This dynamic sets the stage for a “buddy-cop” energy with edge and emotional depth.
🕵️♀️ The Core Premise
At its heart, CIA will follow an elite task force formed by both the CIA and FBI to address global threats that fall between jurisdictions. These missions involve terrorism, cybercrime, rogue states, and international criminal networks.
The show will lean heavily into intelligence tradecraft, surveillance, and moral dilemmas — a distinct shift from the more procedural crime-solving approach seen in previous series.
📅 Launch and Schedule
CIA is scheduled to premiere in Fall 2025, airing Monday nights at 10/9c right after the main FBI series, which will move to 9/8c. This double-feature Monday block is CBS’s new strategy to keep the FBI brand strong after the cancellation of FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.
The show has received a straight-to-series order, bypassing the traditional pilot phase — a sign of CBS’s confidence in the project.
👥 Behind the Scenes
The series will be executive produced by Dick Wolf, the architect of the entire FBI franchise, along with Derek Haas, who previously co-created FBI: International. Haas will also serve as showrunner for CIA.
Early reports indicate that the production team is prioritizing authenticity and realism, consulting with former intelligence officers and counter-terror experts to accurately depict CIA operations.
Filming is set to begin in late summer 2025, with international locations expected, including Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
🔁 Connections to the FBI Universe
Though CIA will focus primarily on intelligence missions, the series exists in the same universe as the other FBI shows. Viewers can expect occasional crossovers with characters from FBI — especially Special Agent Jubal Valentine and Maggie Bell.
There is also speculation that characters from FBI: International and Most Wanted may make guest appearances or be recruited into CIA roles.
🎤 What Tom Ellis Says
In a recent interview, Ellis shared his excitement:
“This character [Evan Wilder] is nothing like anything I’ve done before. He’s deeply flawed, morally ambiguous, and absolutely brilliant. I can’t wait to explore what happens when someone like him is thrown into a rigid system like the FBI.”
