Yes, It's A Bummer Chicago Fire Is Losing Another Cast Member, But The Project The Actor Has Lined Up Is One Of My Most Anticipated Adaptations

You know what they say: when one door closes, another one opens. Well, that’s exactly what’s happening for Chicago Fire’s Michael Bradway. The actor is officially not returning for Season 14 of NBC's hit first responder drama, which is a big bummer. However, on the same day this news broke, it was also announced that he’d be playing an important role in an upcoming book-to-screen adaptation that’s at the top of my most anticipated list.

Michael Bradway Has Been Added To The List Of Actors Not Returning To Chicago Fire

Michael Bradway joined Chicago Fire in Season 12 as Severide’s half-brother, Jack Damon, and he starred in 17 episodes across Seasons 12 and 13. However, following that run, TVLine confirmed that he won’t be back for Season 14, which will premiere this fall on the 2025 TV schedule.

What makes this news even more of a downer is that it marks the show's third big exit in a short span of time. Before this, it was announced that Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett wouldn’t be back as Darren Ritter and Sam Carver. And when Lockett reflected on his departure, he wrote about how uncertain the future is and that he was “going to miss the hell” out of this work.

In the case of Bradway, this departure is a little easier to take, because producers have reportedly said there’s a chance he could reprise his role in the NBC series. However, there’s another reason I’m not taking this update too hard, and it has to do with a new romance series he’s starring in on Amazon.

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Michael Bradway Landed A Major Supporting Role In The Adaptation Of Every Summer After, And I Can't Wait

This report about Bradway’s Chicago Fire exit didn’t cite a reason. However, there’s no denying the serendipitous timing of it all. On the same day, it was announced that he’d be playing Charlie Florek in the adaptation of Carley Fortune’s bestseller, Every Summer After.

The series, which is being renamed Every Year After and will eventually be available with an Amazon Prime subscription, is based on a bestselling romance novel, and Bradway will play the older brother of the main male lead. The story will follow Sam and Percy across years of friendship as they grow up next door to each other while spending their summers in Barry’s Bay.

If the show follows the book, there’s a big issue that makes Sam and Percy not talk for years until a tragic development brings them back together.

So, all this, along with a recent update about Amy B. Harris signing on as showrunner, was known. However, on July 17, Bradway was cast as the ever-flirtatious Charlie (which you can see the Charlie-coded way he announced this news in the Instagram story below). Along with him, Fortune revealed the show’s leads – Sadie Soverall will play Percy and Matt Cornett will play Sam.

This alone is thrilling, because I adore Every Summer After. It’s the ultimate beach read, and I’ve been dying to see the immaculate lake vibes and incredible romance on screen. Now, it’s happening, they're in production, and I literally can’t wait.

However, the excitement, specifically where Bradway is concerned, doesn’t stop there. If Every Year After is a success, my dream is that they’ll continue the story by adapting Fortune’s book One Golden Summer, which is all about Charlie finding love.

On the whole, it seems like this series will give Michael Bradway a bigger role than he had in Chicago Fire, and I know fans can’t wait to see his take on the beloved Charlie. However, as always, change is hard, and he’ll be missed on the NBC drama.

But remember, as I said at the start, when one door closes, another opens. And this door, Michael Bradway’s about to go through enters into a sunny, summery and very exciting world!