Tom Ellis Shoots CBS’s New “CIA” Series on New York Streets

Tom Ellis was photographed filming scenes for the upcoming CBS spinoff CIA in midtown Manhattan on September 17, marking the first on-location footage captured for the FBI franchise offshoot. The Lucifer star shared the set with Chicago Med alum Nick Gehlfuss, sparking early buzz for the procedural drama’s 2026 debut.

Why It Matters The shoot offers a glimpse of CBS’s latest addition to the Dick Wolf universe, reuniting two high-profile television actors as unlikely partners in a fast-paced crime thriller.

On-Set Highlights

Location & Date: Midtown Manhattan, Wednesday afternoon, September 17, 2025.
Lead Actors: Tom Ellis as CIA case officer Hart Hoxton and Nick Gehlfuss as his by-the-book FBI counterpart.
Wardrobe: Ellis wore a brown suede suit jacket over a black button-down and jeans; Gehlfuss donned a tailored blue suit.
Candid Moments: Noticing photographers, Ellis playfully made faces and stuck out his tongue between takes.

Series Premise

CIA follows two contrasting operatives forced to collaborate at the agency’s New York station. Ellis’s rule-breaking, loose-cannon character pairs with Gehlfuss’s seasoned FBI agent to tackle domestic threats, blending procedural crime solving with character-driven tension.

Production Context

Franchise Lineage: Third spinoff after FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.
Creative Team: Executive produced by Dick Wolf, Warren Leight, Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen, Paul Cabbad and Peter Jankowski, with Eriq La Salle directing the pilot.
Release Timeline: Originally slated for Fall 2025, the series has been pushed to midseason 2026 following a showrunner change from David Hudgins to Warren Leight.

What’s Next

Filming will continue in New York through the fall, with additional casting announcements expected soon. CBS aims to slot CIA into its primetime lineup early next year, leveraging the built-in audience of the established FBI brand.