According to Deadline, CBS has ordered that the FBI spinoff CIA goes straight-to-series for the upcoming 2025-26 schedule. The project is set to add to CBS’s FBI catalogue with Tom Ellis as a star.

Tom Ellis, who is most known for his efforts throughout Fox and Netflix’s Lucifer, also appeared throughout a season of Hulu’s Tell Me Lies.

According to Deadline, Ellis was offered the CIA agent role more than two months ago. He emerged and remained a top candidate for the role early on. Deadline also mentions rumors about how negotiations with Ellis had come to a standstill, but the project’s continuity remained. Notably though, it has remained unclear when exactly talks began again.

The series was originally announced as a planted spinoff, with its introduction supposedly coming in an episode of the FBI mothership series. According to Deadline, three new characters were going to be revealed in the planted episode, including the FBI and CIA agents alike. Despite this being pushed a few times, it was ultimately decided to not go in that route. The initial plan was scrapped for a straight-to-series approach. This order grew influence once CBS cancelled FBI: Most Wanted along with FBI: International.

According to Deadline, FBI‘s CIA spinoff is exectutively produced by Dick Wolf, Wolf Entertainment’s Peter Jankowski, former CIA officer David Chasteen, the project’s showrunner David Hudgins, and Nicole Perlman.

Deadline states that Wolf and Hudgins, previous FBI: Most Wanted showrunner, get credited as the project’s writers. Their vision pictures a visible contrast between two partners: A CIA case officer played by Tom Ellis alongside an FBI agent, who’s traits differ across their ways of handling whatever is placed in front of them. This unlikely duo is assigned with one another, and must find a way to cooperate despite their differences.

CBS had ordered two other drama series for the 2025-26 alongside FBI:CIA. Last year, the Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country was announced. A few months ago, CBS announced the Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue.