Eriq La Salle is stepping back into the director’s chair for another high-stakes project. The ER veteran has been tapped to direct and executive produce the pilot episode of CIA (working title), the latest FBI offshoot from Dick Wolf. The drama has landed a straight-to-series order at CBS and is one of just two new shows the network added to its 2025–2026 slate—marking a major shift in its FBI universe.
Created by Wolf and FBI showrunner David Hudgins, CIA centers on a volatile duo: a slick, rules-don’t-apply CIA case officer played by Lucifer‘s Tom Ellis and a no-nonsense, by-the-book FBI agent. When they’re assigned to the CIA’s New York Station, their clashing styles force them into a tense partnership as they take on cases involving threats to national security. Over time, they discover that their differences may be what makes them most effective.
The shakeup comes as CBS clears the deck on its current FBI lineup—canceling both FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted to make way for this new chapter. Along with CIA, CBS is also rolling out Sherlock & Daughter, making this one of the leanest additions to its fall schedule in recent memory.
CIA will be produced by Universal Television (a division of Universal Studio Group) in association with Wolf Entertainment and CBS Studios. Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen, and Peter Jankowski also serve as executive producers.
La Salle, best known for his role as Dr. Peter Benton on ER, has carved out a prolific directing career in recent years—particularly within the Wolf Entertainment family. He’s directed multiple episodes and served as EP on Chicago P.D., helmed entries of Law & Order, and recently launched On Call, Wolf’s first streaming scripted series for Prime Video, where he directed the pilot and served as star and executive producer. Most recently, he directed an episode of Law & Order: Organized Crime in April 2025.
With CBS scaling back on its FBI franchise, CIA is positioned to inject new energy into the brand—and La Salle’s track record behind the camera makes him a key player in that reinvention.