Viewers were overjoyed when they saw Jesse Spencer make a triumphant return as Captain Matt Casey during the season 11 finale of Chicago Fire. The actor, who originally left the show after the tenth season, came back during the final installment which aired in the Spring, and the episode even ended on a major cliffhanger.
The return of Casey was even more poignant for die-hard Chicago Fire fans who are still saddened by the exit of Taylor Kinney's Lieutenant Kelly Severide who isn't likely to return to the show anytime soon after the actor announced a hiatus.
But the question that every fan is asking now is whether Matt Casey's return to Firehouse 51 was just a special treat for audiences or whether Jesse will make a return as a regular member of the cast for future episodes. Read on to find out all we know…
Is Jesse Spencer returning to Chicago Fire for season 12?
At this point, there is no definitive answer, but there is hope for fans. Firstly, according to NBC, Jesse is open to the idea of a more permanent return but has stated that he is yet to sign the dotted line with bosses.
"The storyline does allude to Casey sort of eyeing whether he could actually move back to 51," Jesse previously told NBC Insider.
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"Can he potentially, in the future, rekindle his relationship with Brett (Kara Killmer) and start that fire again? We're gonna [sic] have to see." The actor continued: "Casey's looking at it, it's a potential thing, but we just don't know right now. We'll leave that to the future. We'll throw it to the gods and see what they say."
Given the storyline and Jesse's enthusiasm to return to Chicago Fire, fans can be assured that it's certainly a possibility. Let's hope the stars align.
What else has Jesse Spencer said about his return to Chicago Fire?
In April, before Jesse made his return as Jesse in episodes 18 and 22 of Chicago Fire, the TV star had a similar thought process while giving an interview to Deadline, and reiterated that the decision, ultimately, comes down to bosses on the show.
"The potential to come back would be awesome. I'm always open to that but you know, the ball isn’t really in my court. I always told [series co-creator] Derek Haas that if there were episodes that he thought would be appropriate for me to come back, then I'm totally open to that because I want to see the old gang and I love working there. But in terms of me coming back full-time or something, I have no idea."
However, there is a curveball for fans because it was previously reported that NBC is facing budget cuts to its shows, including Chicago Fire. According to Deadline, the One Chicago franchise is heading for some changes to its casting as a result of the cuts to funding.
The report claimed that the agreed budget, which will keep the shows on air for another season, will mean the main cast will appear in fewer episodes than usual. This could have an effect on not only existing cast members but potential returning ones like Jesse, too. We'll have to wait and see to find out more.
When will Chicago Fire season 12 be on TV?
Meanwhile, away from Jesse Spencer's return to the show, the whole cast and crew's return to set to film season 12 of Chicago Fire is now up in the air following strike action from the SAG-AFTRA, which commenced last week.
After fiery debates between officials, actors, crew members, and production staff have put a halt to their work and will not be on set for filming and will also cease writing and promotion for any upcoming projects.
This means that season 12 of the NBC procedural series is, like many others, going to be delayed. For Chicago Fire, filming usually runs throughout the summer so that a new season can kick off on NBC in September.
NBC is yet to formally announce its schedule or plan of action following the commencement of strike action, but the actors and staff on the show are all apart of the respective organizations who have ceased work, meaning the pens have been put down for the time being.
Will Taylor Kinney return to Chicago Fire?
Bosses on Chicago Fire announced that Taylor Kinney would be taking a break from Chicago Fire for "personal reasons" and his character, Kelly Severide, made an exit towards the end of season 11.
His return has not been addressed by bosses, but the exit storyline gives us hope that Severide will be back in the future.
The 41-year-old's final episode saw Severide depart the Windy City for a prestigious OFI training camp in Alabama, leaving his wife Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) behind at Firehouse 51.
It wasn't portrayed as a permanent exit on screen, so here's hoping Taylor will be back for when season 12 airs, whenever that may be.