What changes will Chicago Fire: Season 12 have before the new season premieres?
Fans of Chicago Fire already need to prepare their hearts for the changes announced before the premiere of the 12th season.
Even before the 12th season premieres, Chicago Fire has already announced a major change that will mark the future of the series. According to Deadline, Andrea Newman, who previously shared the title of one of the showrunners alongside Derek Haas, will now be the sole showrunner of the drama series.
This is a change brought about by Haas’ departure last spring and it should impact how episodes will be written from here on out. Haas was on the series from the beginning and left his mark on the construction of stories and characters. Now, fans will have to get used to a new “brand”, as Newman will lead the episodes alone.
Chicago Fire will undergo another major cast change
And that’s not all. Chicago Fire fans should also prepare to see less of the main cast in the new season. In April, news broke that One Chicago franchise producers Universal Television and Wolf Entertainment had reached a budget deal with NBC. This meant that all three dramas would remain on the air for another season, but with a reduced presence from the main cast.
Deadline reported that episodic guarantees – the number of episodic fees each regular actor is entitled to per season – were being renegotiated and lowered. This means that the stars would appear in fewer episodes during the season, somewhere around 18 of the 22. However, as the season will be shorter, due to the strike, it is not yet known how many episodes each character will appear in.
It’s worth remembering that Taylor Kinney remains out of Chicago Fire, and we don’t know if this departure is permanent. The actor is currently on a leave of absence, so it’s unclear if he will return for season 12.
Postponements and expectations
The new seasons of all Chicago series were supposed to start in September, but were postponed due to strikes by writers and actors. WGA members went on strike on May 2 over labor disputes with the Motion Picture and Television Producers Alliance, which represents major television studios and networks.
With these significant changes, the 12th season of Chicago Fire promises to bring new challenges and dynamics, both for the cast and the production team. And this guarantees fans another exciting set of episodes full of action and drama.
