According to an exclusive Deadline article, NBC has officially renewed its hit “One Chicago” franchise—Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med—ahead of the network’s 2025-26 schedule reveal next Monday. The announcement was made via social media, featuring cast members from Chicago Fire in a promotional video.

The renewal confirms that Chicago Fire will return for a 14th season, Chicago P.D. for its 13th, and Chicago Med for its 11th. According to a report via Deadline, the franchise continues to dominate both NBC’s linear ratings and streaming numbers on Peacock.

“These renewals were never in doubt,” says an article via Deadline. “The One Chicago shows, along with Law & Order: SVU, remain NBC’s highest-performing scripted dramas.”

NBCUniversal revealed that the current seasons of the three Chicago shows have collectively reached nearly 46 million total viewers across NBC and Peacock. Streaming viewership for each title has also increased year-over-year.

As the cost of long-running series rises, budget negotiations between NBC and Universal Television led to standard cost-saving measures. One such strategy involves reducing cast appearances per season.

According to Deadline, “series regulars will not appear in every episode, a practice that has become common for veteran ensemble dramas.”

During the 2022-23 season, Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television began trimming “minimum guarantees” for most cast members across both the Chicago and Law & Order shows. These adjustments remain in place and are expected to continue into the new season.

This season, some actors may appear in two to four fewer episodes. In another change, cast members who do not establish Illinois residency—where the shows are filmed—may have their episode count reduced further.

“The goal is to manage production costs without compromising storytelling,” says a report from Deadline.

The episode count for each series next season is still being finalized but is expected to be slightly shorter than previous years. Additionally, some cast members will reportedly forego their annual 5% salary increases.

Negotiations are still underway to renew contracts for several longtime cast members, including Chicago Fire star Taylor Kinney (Zero Dark Thirty, The Other Woman), whose current deal is set to expire after this season.

Two cast members, Daniel Kyri (Chicago Med, Rel) and Jake Lockett (The Equalizer, The First Lady), will exit Chicago Fire at the end of this season as part of the ongoing cost-trimming strategy. Other departures may follow, according to sources cited by Deadline.

Despite these cuts, the franchise continues to thrive. NBC has called One Chicago “the most-watched drama franchise on broadcast TV in Live+7 ratings.”

The interconnected format of the three series has also contributed to their success, with the January 29 crossover episode delivering season-high ratings for each show.

The shows have remained Wednesday night staples for NBC: Chicago Med airs at 8 PM, Chicago Fire at 9 PM, and Chicago P.D. at 10 PM. Each series is produced by Universal Television in association with Wolf Entertainment.

NBC’s renewed commitment to One Chicago ensures the franchise remains a foundational part of its primetime lineup, even as changes behind the scenes reflect shifting economics in broadcast television.

As the network finalizes its fall slate, longtime fans can expect the Chicago universe to return with familiar faces, compelling storylines, and a few strategic changes behind the camera.