In the vast, fire-scorched cityscape of Chicago, a saga began more than a decade ago — a story that would burn its way into the hearts of millions. It all started in 2012, with a show that carried a name as bold as its heroes: Chicago Fire. Through its gripping tales of courage, brotherhood, and sacrifice, it ignited a phenomenon, one powerful enough to fuel an entire empire of interconnected dramas.

It wasn’t long before that flame spread. In 2014, Chicago P.D. made its debut, taking viewers from the flames of the firehouse into the shadows of Chicago’s crime-ridden streets, where justice was a messy, hard-fought prize. That police drama stood shoulder to shoulder with its predecessor, growing stronger each year. And then came Chicago Med, plunging audiences into the chaotic and high-stakes world of emergency medicine, where a heartbeat was the difference between triumph and tragedy. Together, these shows built an unshakable fortress of storytelling, an unstoppable force that has survived the ever-changing tides of television, and continues to stand tall today.

As summer wanes and the chill of fall draws closer, these three giants prepare to roar back to life once more, with new seasons that promise fresh heartbreaks, staggering rescues, and moral battles yet to be fought. But behind the scenes, a question is smoldering like embers waiting for oxygen: will the One Chicago universe expand again?

Enter Derek Haas, one of the architects of this sprawling franchise, whose creative spark helped shape Chicago Fire into a cultural titan. Speaking to Collider, he weighed in on the question fans have been whispering with bated breath: will there be new spin-offs? Haas, in a moment of frank admiration, gave a nod to the mastermind who made the One Chicago dream possible — Dick Wolf, the legendary producer also behind the unbreakable Law & Order franchise.

“If Dick Wolf were here,” Haas said, as if conjuring the man himself, “he’d say yes. I want to expand.” It was a statement that landed like a thunderclap, rattling the walls of network boardrooms and stirring the imaginations of the One Chicago faithful. Dick Wolf, the tireless visionary, the architect of endless stories, was not known for resting on past triumphs. He was, as Haas explained, “one of the great producers of all time. He is relentless.”

Haas went on to reveal that in Dick Wolf’s world, the horizon was never the end of the road. “My feeling,” Haas continued, “is that he will have four more ideas and shows before you know it, because that’s the way he operates.” It was a tantalizing glimpse behind the curtain, a revelation that the One Chicago empire might one day spread its roots even further, diving into new professions, new corners of the city, new human struggles yet to be told.

But as thrilling as the future sounds, there is a storm brewing just over the skyline. Last month, NBC officially renewed all three One Chicago shows, ensuring that firefighters, police officers, and medical teams would return to battle the forces of fate and disaster for another season. That news brought a sigh of relief to a loyal audience, who had feared their favorite stories might end.

Yet nothing in the One Chicago universe comes without a fight. With the renewals came another announcement — a hard truth that no industry can avoid. The new seasons would be forced to march forward under tightened belts, constrained by budget cuts that threatened to test the limits of creativity and ambition. The cast, whose contracts had been renewed along with the shows themselves, would have to adapt to the leaner times, even as they pushed to deliver the same pulse-pounding action and soul-searing drama that fans demand.

In a city built on the bones of sacrifice and struggle, the news seemed strangely fitting. Chicago’s heroes have always known that nothing comes easy. Each day, the firefighters of 51, the officers of District 21, and the doctors of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center face impossible odds — with lives on the line, and precious seconds to spare. Now, behind the camera, their real-world counterparts will have to summon that same resilience, that same grit, to continue bringing these extraordinary tales to the screen.

And so, the future of One Chicago hangs in a delicate balance, swaying between hope and uncertainty. Could there be more shows, more spin-offs, more untold stories that will rise from Dick Wolf’s unstoppable imagination? The possibility is as alive as the city itself. And though the specter of budget cuts looms large, it seems clear that neither Haas nor Wolf intend to let those constraints extinguish the flame that has burned brightly for over a decade.

For the viewers who have followed every leap into burning buildings, every frantic chase through dark alleys, and every lifesaving operation under blinding hospital lights, the promise of what comes next is more than just entertainment. It is a promise of hope, of humanity tested and proven, of the triumph of courage over fear. Whether on the streets, in the hospitals, or in the firehouses, Chicago is a city that refuses to fall — and so too does the franchise that bears its name.

As the countdown begins for the new seasons to rise once again, the echo of Haas’s words rings through the corridors of NBC and into the homes of millions: Dick Wolf will not rest. His mind is a forge, hammering out new worlds, new characters, and new battles that will keep viewers riveted for years to come.

So fans can stand ready. The sirens will wail again, the badge will shine again, the hospital lights will flicker once more. And perhaps, just beyond the smoke and the sirens, there will be another hero waiting for their chance to join the ranks, to carve out their own legend in the city of Chicago