We’re now a month into the One Chicago shows’ annual summer hiatus, but with July’s arrival, we’re inching one step closer to the new season arriving on our screens this fall!

Although we won’t have Chicago Fire back with new episodes until likely September, NBC will soon be beginning work on the new season of the show. After last year’s strike-related delays, NBC is looking to return to a normal production timeline for the 2024-25  TV season which means the One Chicago shows will begin production mid-summer once again.

According to our friends over at Screen Magazine, Chicago Fire season 13 will begin filming in the Chicago area on July 19 as NBC begins prepping episodes for the fall season. July has typically been when the One Chicago shows begin production and with the shows finally able to settle back into their normal routines, fans can rest assured that they won’t have to wait as long between seasons this year.

Chicago Fire season 13 will premiere this fall on Wednesday nights

While we had to wait until January for season 12, Chicago Fire will finally be back to a normal premiere timeline in the fall following the strikes. Although NBC has not set an official premiere date just yet for season 13, we do know that the show will return in the fall with One Chicago Wednesdays remaining a staple on the network.

If we had to guess, it seems likely that Chicago Fire season 13 will premiere on either Wednesday, September 18, or Wednesday, September 25. Most seasons of the show have typically premiered within the last two weeks of September, so it seems highly likely NBC will look to kick off its Fall 2024 schedule within this same range of time as there is no reason for the network to delay the One Chicago shows’ returns and we simply don’t imagine them doing so.

Season 13 will be a longer season than season 12

An exact episode count for the next season of Chicago Fire has not yet been announced, but we know the season will be longer than season 12 which consisted of just 13 episodes. Season 12 was the shortest season of Chicago Fire in the history of the show due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023.

With production able to begin in July, the shows will be able to get back to a more standard-length season which means the next season of Chicago Fire should be 20-22 episodes. This also means that we’ll get to see the show dropping new episodes across the fall and into the spring of 2025 up until May when the finale is likely to air.

The Chicago Fire season 13 cast will look a bit different

When Chicago Fire does return for season 13, the cast will look a little different thanks to the many cast exits that came about in season 12.

Across the last season of the show, Chicago Fire said goodbye to both long-time members of the cast as well as new additions who left the show just as quickly as they arrived. Among the actors we said goodbye to in season 12 were Kara Killmer (Brett), Alberto Rosende (Gallo), Rome Flynn (Gibson), and Wesam Keesh (Lennox). It’s also not expected that we’ll see much of Laura Allen as Chief Robinson next season as her story on the show seems to have reached a natural end.

Season 13 will also be the first season in which Eamonn Walker will not be a series regular on the cast after 12 seasons. The good news is that, while we won’t see Boden in every episode, Walker is expected to return in a recurring role next season which means we should still get to see Boden in a few episodes across the season, the question will just be the exact number of episodes he’ll appear in.

Additional cast exits could be coming in season 13, but at the moment, we’re expecting the rest of the core cast will be coming back for season 13 with the following actors all expected back next season:

Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide
David Eigenberg as Christopher Herrmann
Joe Minoso as Joe Cruz
Miranda Rae Mayo as Stella Kidd
Daniel Kyri as Darren Ritter
Christian Stolte as Mouch
Hanako Greensmith as Violet Mikami
Randy Flagler as Capp
Anthony Ferraris as Tony
Jake Lockett as Sam Carver
It was teased that Carver could be leaving the show; however, Jake Lockett has hinted he’ll be back so we’d be shocked if Carver left the show unexpectedly. We also know that Jocelyn Hudon will be returning for season 13 as a series regular, meaning Lyla Novak will be sticking around at 51 and that the show might have found its permanent replacement for Brett!The last key member of the cast we’re expecting back for season 13 is Michael Bradway who joined the cast in season 12 as Jack Damon. While we don’t yet know whether Bradway will return as a series regular or remain in a recurring status, we expect Damon to play a major role in the season given the bombshell he dropped on Severide in the finale.

51 is getting a new Chief
At the end of Chicago Fire season 12, it was hinted that Herrmann was going to become the next Chief at 51; however, it seems that will not be the case after all.

According to Deadline, NBC is currently in the process of casting the role of Chief Dom Pascal for season 13. Pascal will take over the role of Chief at 51 following Boden’s promotion and it’s going to be interesting to see who they cast in the role.

While little is known about the character at this time, it has been revealed that Pascal, “began his career with the CFD but spent the last decade as a chief in Sunny Miami. Dom is described as a cheerful person who works well under pressure, and whose leadership style differs from Boden’s. He and his wife are estranged.” We also know that this role will be a series regular role which suggests that he’ll be sticking around for the long haul and won’t just come in for a few episodes before bouncing.

Given how the finale set up Herrmann to succeed Boden as Chief, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens that leads to Herrmann being looked over for the role and how exactly Herrmann will react to working under a new Chief after being promised the job. Could there be some friction between the two? We’re not sure, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Herrmann butts heads with Pascal!

We’re going to get to learn more about Kidd’s family
While the burning question heading into season 13 is how Damon’s reveal is going to shake things up for both Severide and Kidd, it seems Severide’s side of the family tree isn’t the only one that might be expanding next season.

In an interview with TVLine, Andrea Newman teased that there is still more to be revealed regarding Kidd’s family and to stay tuned for a look into Kidd’s past.

“We established in Season 5 that her parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her aunt and uncle, but there is definitely more in her family story to be revealed. Stay tuned….” Newman teased.