With “Chicago Fire” passing over a decade of life on NBC, the long-running procedural has become quite the fixture of the TV landscape. However, even the biggest shows must wrap up eventually, and the flagship series in Dick Wolf’s “One Chicago” franchise is already a whopping 11 seasons deep. As such, fans may be wondering whether the series has reached its curtain call, or if it has enough gas left in the tank to press forward in the form of Season 12.
“Chicago Fire” may be getting up there in years, but it’s definitely not over yet. Season 12 of the firefighter-focused saga was confirmed a short time before Season 11 concluded, when it was renewed by NBC along with “Chicago Med” and “Chicago P.D.,” as per Deadline. The season is expected to be 22 episodes long, which is more than enough time for the series to address the heartbreaking finale of “Chicago Fire” Season 11 and all the dangling plot threads within. However, just because the series is coming back, doesn’t mean there aren’t any concerns regarding the new season.
Chicago Fire’s Season 12 premiere date is up in the air
Ever since it first hit the scene in October 2012, “Chicago Fire” has followed a roughly consistent timetable of annual season premieres in the fall of each year. Indeed, Season 12 was originally slated to follow this trend, with a premiere date set for the Fall 2023-24 season. However, recent events in the greater TV industry have thrown this plan into doubt.
The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, which commenced in early May and is still ongoing at the time of this article’s publishing, has greatly impacted the production process of numerous TV shows and movies. Everything from the filming of upcoming Marvel movies to the episode count and release dates of shows like “La Brea” Season 3 has been shifted by the strike, and “Chicago Fire” Season 12 will probably join the flood of affected projects. Such an outcome would become even more likely if the rumblings of a SAG-AFTRA strike soon come to fruition.
Amid the current tumultuous landscape of TV, with no way to properly tell when things will eventually settle, “Chicago Fire” Season 12 hitting its originally intended release window is anything but a guarantee. There’s a solid chance that the program’s return could be delayed indefinitely — and it may be well into 2024 that it actually comes back with a potentially modified episode count. For now, fans will have to wait for more concrete information on the show’s future.
Chicago Fire Season 12 could be the last installment of the series
It may be a bit premature to speculate, but it’s possible that “Chicago Fire” Season 12 could be the end of the series. While there has been no official word on closing the series out from Dick Wolf or anyone else involved with the show, there are a few warning signs. For one thing, while “Chicago Fire” was renewed for Seasons 9, 10, and 11 all at the same time back in 2020, its Season 12 renewal only granted it one additional season. That could mean very little, but there’s no denying that another batch renewal would have secured the show’s future beyond Season 12.
Then, there’s the matter of the show’s cast. Taylor Kinney, who plays Kelly Severide, has been on an indefinite hiatus from the series since midway through Season 11, leaving the show to run indefinitely without its ostensible lead. Meanwhile, former lead Jesse Spencer’s Matt Casey left the show in Season 10, and while he recurred throughout Season 11, there’s no confirmation he’ll be coming back full-time. These complicated matters with the show’s cast could end up being a driving force in the show’s eventual conclusion.
If “Chicago Fire” Season 12 really is the last chapter of the show, some viewers may find that outcome to be for the best. After all, many “Chicago Fire” fans feel like the series is turning into a soap opera with its narrative beats and plotlines, and they would likely prefer to have the show end off on a high note rather than a low one. Nonetheless, this is all still speculation, and there’s an equally solid chance that “Chicago Fire” lives on past Season 12.
