The behind the scenes drama and exits continue on CBS’ upcoming drama series CIA. Days after one of the leads, Michael Michele, and director/executive producer Eriq La Salle left the FBI offshoot, also departing is current showrunner Warren Leight. All three are longtime members of the Dick Wolf television family.
Mike Weiss, current showrunner of mothership FBI, is in talks to add showrunner duties on CIA, sources said, with production pausing during the changeover.
Michele’s role will be recast, with search underway for a new Chief of Station.
Watch on Deadline
CIA, headlined by Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss, started production in September for a midseason premiere. Following the string of changes, the launch plans remain unchanged, sources said.
Leight was not the original showrunner on CIA, which is headlined by Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss. The project was picked up straight-to-series in April with former FBI: Most Wanted showrunner David Hudgins as showrunner. He was replaced by Leight in July when the series, originally planned for a fall 2025 premiere, was pushed to midseason.
CIA, which was rumored not to have a final pilot script at the time of the series order, centers on two unlikely partners – a fast-talking, rule-breaking loose cannon CIA case officer (Ellis), and a by-the-book, seasoned and smart FBI agent (Gehlfuss) who believes in the rule of law. When this odd couple are assigned to work 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 may actually be their strength.
Michele played the head of CIA’s New York Station, a role that is now being recast. The show also stars Natalee Linez as a CIA analyst. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, produces in association with Wolf Entertainment and CBS Studios.
The news of Leight’s exit was first reported by Variety.