I’m Hyped Daniel Kyri Is Returning To Chicago Fire After All, Because I Still Need Him To Get That ‘Big Ending’ The Showrunner Promised

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The number of months is decreasing until the highly emotional Season 13 finale of Chicago Fire airs, with Jake Lockett, Daniel Kyri, and Michael Bradway not set to return as part of the cast. Lockett’s departure as Carver was foreshadowed in the finale from May, but we don’t yet know how or why Kyri’s Ritter will depart. However, there is some positive news: Kyri has confirmed that he will reappear for a portion of Season 14 when it airs in the fall of the 2025 television schedule.

Continue reading as we uncover the current details and the reasons I’m optimistic that the showrunners, Andrea Newman, will indeed provide a significant finale for both Ritter and Carver on One Chicago!

Daniel Kyri Is Coming Back As Ritter

Daniel Kyri broke the good news himself via Instagram Story, showing a selfie alongside costars Hanako Greensmith (Violet) and Jocelyn Hudon (Novak). He’s back in his gear as a member of Stella Kidd’s Truck crew, so this seemingly isn’t a case of how Chicago Fire brought back Alberto Rosende for a very brief goodbye as Gallo back in the Season 12 premiere.

It hasn’t been decided yet how long Kyri will return for Season 14, which means Ritter won’t be a permanent member at Firehouse 51 this autumn. However, there’s much to rejoice about with the BTS snap!

I’m really glad we’ll get more of Ritter for a while longer, not just because his ending in Season 13 was abrupt without any hint of a farewell like Carver’s, but also because there seems to be significant changes on the horizon for Truck 81 and I don’t want those developments to happen behind the scenes.

Initially, following the difficulties Pascal caused for Stella regarding the high turnover rate in her Fire Truck team during Season 13, she now faces a challenging situation as three firefighters – Carver, Damon, and Ritter – are leaving. Notably, Ritter has recently moved over from Engine.

In the 14th season of Stella, it seems likely that Stella will take a step back from the action (perhaps following a typical summer break and then a time jump) due to her pregnancy. With so many changes happening all at once for Truck, it’s challenging to envision the new scenario. However, one constant we can look forward to is Ritter’s return!

What Showrunner Andrea Newman Told Us About ‘Big Endings

In the spring, I had a chat with Andrea Newman, the showrunner of Chicago Fire. This conversation took place before the series finale and shortly after it was announced that Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett wouldn’t be returning as regular cast members for Season 14. When inquired about how Ritter and Carver’s departures (assumed to occur in the finale at the time) were handled, Newman playfully hinted:

There are numerous unresolved storylines involving these characters, leaving us wondering about their departures, duration, and permanence. Will it be temporary or long-lasting? Will their conclusions be dramatic or more emotionally poignant? Given our fondness for Jake and Daniel, we’re eager to see them frequently and give them the satisfying endings they deserve, whether that means explosive resolutions or subtler, emotional farewells.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I found myself on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the climax. However, at that moment, the final episode had yet to air, leaving me in suspense about Carver’s future decision to join the Denver Fire Department as part of his recovery journey, or the reason behind Ritter’s absence between seasons. It felt a bit contrived to cram two significant conclusions into just one jam-packed hour of television.

Now, the TV show “Chicago Fire” can provide Ritter with a more substantial conclusion than just a farewell during a break in the series. I’m unsure of how many episodes Ritter will appear in, but I’m excited that he’ll be returning at all. The 14th season has also brought on Brandon Larracuente from “On Call” as a regular cast member for the series.

On Wednesdays starting October 1st at 9 PM Eastern Time, “Chicago Fire” continues on NBC, sandwiched between “Chicago Med” and “Chicago P.D.” as per the regular schedule. For those who want to catch up, earlier episodes are available for streaming with a Peacock subscription right now.

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2025-08-05 07:11