CBS's "Fire Country" is getting the franchise treatment, and it's tapped a Marvel alum to lead a potential spinoff series. "Deadpool" actress Morena Baccarin will guest star as a Sheriff's Deputy in an episode of "Fire Country" Season 2, premiering Friday, Feb. 16 on CBS and next-day on Paramount+.
On Jan. 23, Deadline reported that Baccarin's upcoming cameo in Season 2 could lead to the actress fronting a "Fire Country" spinoff series. Baccarin has been in negotiations for the role since late 2023, per the outlet. If her episode gets a warm reception, CBS is expected to take her untitled spinoff show through development.
"Fire Country" was a massive hit for CBS when it debuted in Oct. 2022. Series star and co-creator Max Thieriot leads the primetime drama as Bode Donovan, a convict who joins a prison release firefighting program in the Northern California town of Edgewater.
The series was the most-watched new broadcast show of the 2022-23 season, averaging 8.3 million viewers a week. Its knockout first season included a buzzy cameo by country star Kane Brown, and featured all-new original songs from Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley.
In her planned Season 2 guest role, Morena Baccarin will play Mickey, an Edgewater Sheriff's Deputy with fifteen years of service under her belt. "This is her town and she's fiercely protective of it," Deadline wrote.
Best known for her role as Vanessa Carlysle, the fiancée of Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) in the "Deadpool" superhero franchise, Baccarin is also a TV veteran. She received an Emmy nomination for her role in "Homeland" and starred in ABC's sci-fi series "V" and Fox's "Gotham." Most recently, she led NBC's heist series "The Endgame."
Next up, the Brazilian native will reprise her role as Vanessa in 2024's hotly-anticipated "Deadpool 3." She also stars alongside Anthony Mackie in the upcoming adventure flick "Elevation."
Talk of a "Fire Country" spinoff began in June 2023, when CBS boss George Cheeks announced that the company would franchise the show much like it has its perennial ratings juggernaut "NCIS."
"We are focused on mass-appeal franchises," Cheeks told Deadline at the time. "This season's number one show was 'Fire Country,' which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe... It became very clear that not only was the show special, it really felt like this could be a great example of us building together a franchise from scratch. And so I'm like, 'You guys, congratulations, you got your back nine. Now let's start talking about ideas for new extensions.' They've already come up with some great ones."
Baccarin's episode is expected to come towards the end of the new season.
"Fire Country" Season 2 premieres Friday, Feb. 16 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on CBS, with new episodes streaming next-day on Paramount+.
