CIA has faced a turbulent production from the start. The series initially had David Hudgins as showrunner — the same creative who helped steer FBI: Most Wanted from its second season. Hudgins appeared deeply invested in the project, passionately sharing his vision for how the spin-off would bring “a different kind of storytelling” to the FBI universe. However, his unexpected departure forced production delays, pushing the series from its original fall release window to midseason 2026. Following his exit, Law & Order veteran Warren Leight stepped in to take over as showrunner.
CIA’s high employee turnover doesn’t paint the rosiest picture for the series and could potentially impact its rollout timeline, or even worse, its quality. However, reports claim the contrary, stating that filming is currently ramping up in New York ahead of its planned midseason premiere. Despite his exit, La Salle’s influence will still be felt as the pilot episode he directed will still air as the series opener. His departure also appears to have been voluntary, as the ER alum is shifting his focus toward writing the next installment of his Martyr Maker book series, following a recent book deal.
What Is ‘CIA’ About?
CIA will follow an odd pairing between a motormouthed, rule-breaking CIA caseworker, Hart Hoxton, to be played by Tom Ellis (Lucifer), and a disciplined, orthodox FBI agent, played by Nick Gehlfuss (Chicago Med). “When they are assigned to work a case 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 actually might be their strength,” the synopsis reads. Hudgins’ original vision for the central pair’s dynamic to serve as the show’s major driving force remains unchanged, as Ellis recently confirmed to Collider in an interview where he also divulged that his character is British.
