TV News: 'CIA’ Drama Set in ‘FBI’ World Lands Series Pickup at CBS for 2025-26 starring Tom "Lucifer" Ellis


‘CIA’: Nick Gehlfuss & Michael Michele Join Tom Ellis As Leads Of ‘FBI’ Offshoot​



Nick Gehlfuss and Michael Michele

Nick Gehlfuss and Michael Michele Stephanie Diani/Getty
Nick Gehlfuss is a Dick Wolf universe OG again. The Chicago Med alum and and Michael Michele, who got her start on another Wolf series, New York Undercover, are set as leads alongside Tom Ellis on CBS’ upcoming crime drama series CIA.

The FBI offshoot 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 (Gehlfuss) 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.




CIA is scheduled to debut in midseason 2026. Originally planned for a fall 2025 premiere, the series in July was pushed to midseason while also undergoing a showrunner change. Warren Leight was tapped to replace FBI: Most Wanted showrunner David Hudgins, who originally was set to lead the series and co-write the pilot script with FBI, Law & Order & Chicago franchise boss Dick Wolf.


Wolf and Leight executive produce CIA alongside Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen, and Peter Jankowski. Eriq La Salle remains attached to direct and executive produce the pilot episode. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, produces in association with Wolf Entertainment and CBS Studios.

Gehlfuss was an original cast members on Wolf Entertainment’s NBC drama Chicago Med and played fan-favorite character Dr. Will Halstead for eight season. He is reprising his role in a guest starring appearance on the medical drama’s upcoming 11th season.

Recently, Gehlfuss finished a run with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater in its production of Fool For Love, directed by Jeremy Herrin. His other TV credits include recurring roles on Showtime’s Shameless, HBO’s Newsroom and Starz’s Power, among others. He’s repped by Gersh, MJ Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman et al.



In her first acting gig, Michele recurred on the first season of New York Undercover. She is coming off a recurring role opposite Queen Latifah on another CBS/Universal TV crime drama, The Equalizer. Michele was a series regular on Lee Daniel’s Empire spinoff Star and on the Emmy-winning NBC series Homicide: Life On the Street and ER. Michele, who also had a prominent role on Queen Sugar, is repped by Untitled Entertainment, Innovative Artists and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.
 
Back
Top