CBS is expanding its hit FBI universe once again — this time, going global. The network has officially greenlit a brand-new drama titled CIA, set within the same interconnected world as FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, and FBI: International. The series is slated to debut during the 2025–26 broadcast season, marking the most ambitious expansion of Dick Wolf’s crime and intelligence franchise to date.
From the Streets of New York to the Shadows of the World
While FBI has explored domestic threats and FBI: International has tackled global operations, CIA will dive even deeper into the secretive world of intelligence — where the stakes are higher, the missions are darker, and the truth is rarely what it seems.
According to CBS, the new series will follow a team of elite CIA operatives navigating a web of covert missions, political deception, and moral ambiguity, all while operating in collaboration (and occasional conflict) with their FBI counterparts.
Insiders describe CIA as “grittier, smarter, and more psychologically complex” than any previous FBI show — a blend of spy thriller and emotional character study that promises to redefine the tone of the franchise.
“The FBI universe has always been about courage under pressure,” said franchise creator Dick Wolf in a statement. “With CIA, we’re expanding that world into the realm of global intelligence — where secrets are currency, and trust can be deadly.”
A New Team of Operatives — and Familiar Faces
While CBS has yet to confirm the full cast, early reports suggest the show will feature a diverse, international ensemble, with several familiar FBI universe characters expected to appear in crossover events.
Industry sources hint that CIA will be led by a former FBI agent turned intelligence officer, creating a direct bridge between the existing series and this new chapter. This move mirrors the FBI: International launch, which connected viewers through shared storylines and crossover missions.
Behind the camera, longtime Wolf Entertainment producers will join forces with showrunner Rick Eid (FBI, Law & Order), ensuring continuity in tone and storytelling while pushing the creative boundaries of the franchise.
“This is not just about action or espionage,” Eid said. “It’s about the people behind the intelligence — the sacrifices, the lies they tell, and the lines they cross to keep the world safe.”
What to Expect: High-Stakes Espionage Meets Human Drama
If FBI is about justice and FBI: International is about diplomacy, CIA will focus on secrecy and survival. Each episode will follow the team as they tackle classified missions across the globe — cyber warfare, political coups, black-market operations — while exploring the personal cost of living double lives.
The series promises a mix of espionage thriller energy and grounded emotional storytelling, with locations spanning from Washington D.C. to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. In true Wolf Entertainment style, expect cinematic visuals, tightly constructed cases, and storylines that blur the line between law enforcement and covert warfare.
“The CIA operates in the gray,” one producer teased. “Where the FBI seeks the truth, the CIA decides what truth should exist.”
Building the ‘FBI’ Universe — One Agency at a Time
The pickup of CIA reinforces CBS’s dominance in the procedural genre and signals the network’s confidence in expanding one of its most successful brands. The FBI universe, launched in 2018, has become a cornerstone of CBS’s primetime lineup, consistently delivering strong ratings and fan engagement across all spin-offs.
With CIA, the franchise officially evolves from a crime procedural into a multi-layered intelligence saga, spanning the full spectrum of American law enforcement and global security. The addition also opens the door for future crossover events that could unite the FBI, the CIA, and the international Fly Team in a shared storyline — something fans have long hoped to see.
“This is the natural next step for the universe,” said CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach. “Our viewers love these characters and this world. CIA gives us a chance to explore that world from an entirely new, thrilling perspective.”
Why Fans Should Be Excited
With its focus on covert operations and global stakes, CIA will bring a fresh, more cinematic energy to the CBS lineup — offering intrigue, tension, and emotional depth that expands beyond the familiar procedural structure.
It also promises to explore ethical gray zones rarely seen on network television: What happens when the people protecting freedom must operate outside its laws? What does loyalty mean when every mission requires deception?
Early buzz suggests that CIA could become the boldest, most sophisticated chapter in the FBI world yet — blending the emotional realism of FBI with the high-stakes suspense of Homeland or Jack Ryan.
The Bottom Line
The upcoming CIA series isn’t just another spin-off — it’s a strategic expansion of the FBI universe into the shadowy corridors of international intelligence. With veteran producers, crossover potential, and a promise of pulse-pounding, morally complex storytelling, CBS is betting big on its next hit.
From the streets of New York to the secret missions of Langley, the world of FBI is about to get a whole lot bigger — and a lot more dangerous.
‘CIA’ premieres during the 2025–26 CBS broadcast season.
