CBS’ upcoming FBI spin-off CIA may very well be the most cursed television series to never hit the air following the news that Warren Leight, who only took over as showrunner in July, has now exited the series — marking the second time in two months the position has changed hands. Now, hold on, this might take a while to explain.

Leight, best known for his acclaimed work on Law & Order: SVU, replaced David Hudgins, who had helped shape FBI: Most Wanted and was initially slated to run CIA. His departure comes just two days after executive producer Eriq La Salle also left the project. According to Variety, FBI showrunner Mike Weiss is now in talks to take over CIA while continuing to lead the flagship series. Production will briefly pause during the transition but is still expected to resume in time for the planned midseason 2026 premiere.

Leight’s sudden exit is the latest blow for a production that’s been struggling to find its footing. Just a few weeks earlier, La Salle — who had been involved with CIA from the beginning and directed the pilot — departed to focus on writing the next book in his Martyr Maker series after signing a new publishing deal.

Adding to the uncertainty, Michael Michele, who was cast as the CIA’s New York Station chief, recently exited the show as well. The role is now being recast. Intriguingly, La Salle and Michele had worked closely together for a number of years on ER as on-screen couple Dr. Peter Benton and Dr. Cleo Finch. The wave of departures has fueled growing skepticism about whether CIA can recover, with fans already lamenting CBS’ earlier cancellations of FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted as a possible misstep.

What Is ‘CIA’ About?

Starring Tom Ellis (Lucifer) and Nick Gehlfuss (Chicago Med), CIA follows “two unlikely partners — a fast-talking, rule-breaking CIA case officer (Ellis) and a by-the-book FBI agent (Gehlfuss) who believes in the rule of law.” According to the official synopsis:

“When they are assigned to work out of the 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.”

Ellis recently told Collider that his character, Hart Hoxton, will retain his British accent, and confirmed that the original creative vision for the dynamic between the two leads remains intact despite the production shake-ups.

Stay tuned for more updates on CIA.