With Season 14 on the horizon, Chicago Fire is gearing up for major cha
After the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes and broader network restructuring, NBC announced that all One Chicago shows—including Chicago Fire—will run on shortened episode orders in 2025. Additionally, several key actors will appear in fewer episodes, and some beloved characters won’t be returning as series regulars at all.
Among the most surprising exits are Daniel Kyri (Ritter) and Jake Lockett (Carver). While Kyri had been with the show since Season 7, Lockett joined in Season 11 and quickly earned fan affection. Budget constraints reportedly influenced these cuts, and fans have taken to social media expressing frustration. Many have called the changes “disappointing,” with some even questioning whether the show can maintain its momentum with fewer familiar faces.
Yet not all is doom and gloom. Taylor Kinney (Severide) is confirmed to return in a full-time capacity after a break in Season 11, and Miranda Rae Mayo (Stella Kidd) will reprise her role with a significant new arc: Kidd is pregnant. This development sets the stage for emotionally charged stories between Kidd and Severide, as they navigate parenthood alongside their dangerous careers.
Showrunner Andrea Newman has promised that these cast reductions won’t mean lesser quality. In fact, the trimmed format allows for tighter storytelling and more focused character arcs, including deeper exploration into Severide’s trauma and Stella’s evolution as both a leader and future mother.
