‘Chicago Fire’ Spinoff In The Works At NBC

Chicago Fire spinoff talks heated up on Wednesday, according to a report from Deadline.

The website admitted the details were “sketchy” but said sources have reported the spinoff would follow the Chicago Police Department and that the lead characters would be set up prior to the end of the first season of Chicago Fire.

(That first season has been so successful it was given a two-episode extension from its original 22-episode order.)

Producer Dick Wolf launched the firefighter drama last year, and ratings have been a bright spot for a troubled NBC thanks to a young cast and that same gripping balance of drama, suspense, and characterization that Wolf brought to Law and Order.

Anyone familiar with the Law and Order franchise can understand how this could be a good proposition for NBC.

Under the producer’s guidance, the original drama successfully spawned Law and Order: SVU and Law and Order: Criminal Intent, in all more than 20 years of television.

Joe Chappelle will direct the season finale of Chicago Fire, which will be the spinoff’s starting point. Chappelle has served as a co-executive producer on The Wire and Fringe and has also served as sole executive producer on six episodes of Chicago Fire.

The firefighter series was announced last May amid a slew of NBC cancellations. In November 2012, about one month after its premiere, it added Fairly Legal‘s Sarah Shahi to the mix and has been a strong performer ever since.

In fact, TV Line reported that in January of this year, around 8.4 million viewers were tuning in to check out what the fuss was about.

Chicago Fire stars Jesse Spencer, Taylor Kinney, Monica Raymund, Lauren German, and Eamonn Walker, all rising TV stars. Kinney also appeared in the controversial 2013 Oscar contender Zero Dark Thirty.

Are you a follower of the show and will you be excited to see a Chicago Fire spinoff series?

[Image via Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com]