ENTERTAINMENT

Dermot Mulroney Confirms Departure from 'Chicago Fire' Ahead of Season 15

PUBLISHED Aug 4, 2026, 4:55 AM ET

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News broke on Friday that Dermot Mulroney will leave NBC's "Chicago Fire" in its upcoming 15th season. During a recent appearance at Flash Weekend Chicago Horror Convention (via People), Mulroney opened up about his exit. "Loved every minute of it. Became friends with this incredible crew of people," Mulroney said. He later noted that the show gave him some "incredibly challenging scenes," but luckily, he had an "incredible cast" to back him up. The "My Best Friend's Wedding" star explained that he only has one more episode left in Season 15, and then "they write the character off." He said of his time on "Chicago Fire," "We gave it our all for two seasons." "They wrote an incredible storyline that put me as an actor on [a] high challenge," Mulroney added. "I loved every minute of it. Sad to see it go." Mulroney joined "Chicago Fire" in Season 13 as Chief Dom Pascal. His exit is expected to come early in Season 15, which premieres on Oct. 7 at 9 p.m. ET. "I can't tell you how many people come up, and they'd much rather have an autograph on 'Scream VI,' but [they ask for] Chief Pascal for their dad," he later shared. "It's an amazing thing to see and that's how meaningful that is. Which makes it that much more, I won't say bittersweet. It's bitter to have to leave that." Mulroney's "Chicago Fire" exit came just a couple of days after it was revealed that original cast member Joe Miñoso would also soon leave the drama series. Miñoso's character, firefighter Joe Cruz, will likewise be written off in Season 15.

By Daniel Hayes | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On August 3, 2026, Dermot Mulroney announced his departure from Chicago Fire.
On August 4, 2026, network producers confirmed Chief Dom Pascal's character exit.
On August 4, 2026, media outlets reported Andrea Newman stepping down as showrunner.
On August 4, 2026, Victor Teran assumed leadership duties for the fifteenth season.
On August 4, 2026, fans expressed mixed reactions regarding cast changes on social.
On August 4, 2026, NBC released preliminary production schedules for the upcoming season.
On August 4, 2026, industry analysts reviewed character arcs across preceding television seasons.
On August 4, 2026, convention attendees discussed actor statements regarding the production timeline.
On August 4, 2026, network executives finalized initial script outlines for upcoming episodes.
On August 4, 2026, entertainment journalists verified contract expiration details with studio representatives.
On August 4, 2026, production teams commenced principal photography for season fifteen episodes.
In coming months, network executives will release official promotional trailers for viewers.
During future episodes, replacement characters will integrate into firehouse storylines.
Throughout the upcoming season, television critics will evaluate audience viewership retention metrics.
By next year, producers will announce additional recurring cast member adjustments.

News Intelligence

Viewers across the United States experienced sudden cast restructuring announcements.
Long-term television viewership metrics may shift following major character departures.
Television fans, NBC network executives, and production staff members are affected.
Readers should prioritize official network press releases over unverified rumors.

Media Bias

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Left Leaning:: 0
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Left: Framing focuses on network creative changes and production team transitions. Center: Framing reports actor statements and network schedule updates without commentary. Right: Framing highlights traditional entertainment industry workforce shifts and ratings context.