Jesse Lee Soffer To Star In ‘Strike Force’; CBS Drama From Matt Olmstead Gets Development Room Order

More than a year after FBI: International was canceled, the series’ star Jesse Lee Soffer and showrunner Matt Olmstead are reuniting for another crime drama project at CBS. The network continues to build out its 2027/28 development slate with a development room order to Strike Force (working title), from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and CBS Studios.

Written by Olmstead, Strike Force centers on a battle-tested DEA agent (Soffer) who returns home to Kansas City to lead a multi-agency strike force targeting the violent criminals now trying to exploit America’s heartland.

Soffer and Olmstead executive produce alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed for Jerry Bruckheimer TV.

As part of CBS’ long-term development strategy, the network in April announced four projects in development for 2027-28 consideration.

Strike Force is the third to move beyond a pilot script.

Back in April, single-camera comedy Hilda! (In Lights!) and forensic drama I Know Who You Are received an order for two additional scripts each, while CBS commissioned a development room for the third, cop drama Flint, starring and executive produced by Matt LeBlanc, the same path it is now taking with Strike Force.

Hilda! (In Lights!) was recently picked up to pilot. Scripts for Flint and I Know Who You Are are still being written.

CBS also has a medical spinoff in the world of Fire Country and Sheriff Country, which will be introduced as a backdoor pilot episode on Sheriff Country this coming season.

The network has been using different development lanes for its projects. While straight-to-series order after a development room has been a preferred strategy, CBS is open to also ordering a standalone drama pilot, something it has not done in two years, since Einstein in early August 2024.

Soffer joined the Wolf Entertainment-produced FBI: International at the start of Season 4. Before that, he starred in Wolf’s NBC drama Chicago P.D. for more than nine seasons. Soffer is repped by Ethos Entertainment and UTA.