‘FBI: International’: CBS Developing Second Spinoff of ‘FBI’ Franchise

CBS is reportedly looking to launch another spin-off of FBI, Dick Wolf‘s series tracking the operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The new series will focus on the FBI’s international operations and is being developed under the working title FBI: International, reports Deadline. The project is still in the “dealmaking stages,” according to the site, and Derek Haas is writing.

Haas will serve as executive producer alongside Wolf Entertainment’s Wolf, Peter Jankowski, and Arthur Forney. Universal Television, Wolf Entertainment, and CBS Studios will produce the show. Haas is a familiar name to fans of Wolf’s franchises. He has worked on all four Chicago One shows, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, and the short-lived Chicago Justice. He also worked on the movies 2 Fast 2 Furious, Catch That Kid, The Double, Wanted, 3:10 to Yuma, and Overdrive. Haas also worked as a co-showrunner on FBI Season 1.

The FBI franchise is the newest of Wolf’s three main franchises, following Chicago One and the Law & Order universe. The main FBI is only in the middle of its third season, which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. The first spin-off, FBI: Most Wanted, is now in its second season and airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET. Most Wanted launched with a backdoor pilot in FBI, and that option is on the table for the International edition.

Talk of a second FBI spin-off was first reported in May 2020. “We are always talking to Dick [Wolf] and Dick is always bouncing ideas off of us and I can’t rule anything out,” CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl told Deadline at the time. In January 2020, Wolf said the FBI franchise offers an “endless trove of stories.” FBI is also unique in today’s television environment, as it featured a crossover with Chicago P.D., connecting it to both of Wolf’s NBC franchises.

CBS is also the home to the NCIS franchise and is working on bringing the original CSI back. The NCIS franchise is even expanding further to include an office in Hawaii, even as the NCIS: New Orleans office is closing. Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed CBS was working on NCIS: Hawaii, which could be filmed there. Production has been easier in the Aloha State during the coronavirus pandemic. The main NCIS is in its 18th season, and it is not clear if a 19th will be on the way. Star Mark Harmon reportedly started talking to CBS about bringing the show back for a few episodes if a 19th season is ordered.