According to Deadline, Nick Gehlfuss (Chicago Med, Chicago Fire) and Michael Michele (ER, Ali) have been cast as leads in the new crime drama series, CIA. Ghelfuss and Michele will be acting alongside Tom Ellis (Second Wife, Tell Me Lies). CIA, a part of the Dick Wolf (FBI, Law & Order) universe, will air on CBS.

CIA, a spinoff of the FBI franchise, is set in New York and follows two unlikely agents paired together. According to Deadline, Ellis will play a fast-talking, rule-breaking FBI agent, partnered with Ghelfuss’ seasoned, by-the-book officer. Michele is said to play the captain of the CIA’s New York-based team.

No stranger to the Wolf Universe, Gehlfuss portrayed Dr. Will Halstead on Chicago Med for eight seasons and will reprise the role as a guest star in the upcoming 11th season, via Deadline. Other credits include HBO’s Newsroom, Showtime’s Shameless, and Starz’s Power. Gehlfuss is repped by Gersh, MJ Management, and the Jackoway Austen Tyerman et al.

Michele started her career on another Wolf series, New York Undercover, appearing in the first season, according to Deadline. She recently appeared in CBS’ The Equalizer, was a regular on the Fox musical series Star, and appeared in NBC’s Homicide: Life on the Street and ER.

According to Deadline, Warren Leight (Nevelot, Light Out) and Wolf will executive produce along with Nicole Perlman (Challenger, Undo), David Chasten (G20, Back In Action), and Peter Jankowske (New York Undercover, Chicago Fire). Eriq La Salle (ER, Coming to America) will direct and EP the pilot episode. Universal Television will produce in association with Wolf Entertainment and CBS Studios.

Originally set to debut this fall, CIA will premiere midseason in 2026. The series was to have a backdoor pilot, but was picked up straight to series after the cancellation of two popular FBI spinoffs, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.