The NCIS franchise is bringing back two of its biggest stars for the 2026-2027 television season. Michael Weatherly will reprise his role as Tony DiNozzo for a season-long arc on the original NCIS series, while Mark Harmon returns as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS: Origins for its third season. These returns mark a significant moment for the long-running procedural drama that has been on air since 2003.
Michael Weatherly Returns as Tony DiNozzo for NCIS Season 24
Michael Weatherly is coming back to the CBS drama that made him a household name. The actor, who played the charismatic Tony DiNozzo for 13 seasons and over 300 episodes, will appear throughout Season 24 of NCIS. This marks his first major return to the flagship series since his emotional exit in the Season 13 finale.
Weatherly’s comeback comes just months after his Paramount+ spinoff series NCIS: Tony & Ziva was canceled after a single season. That show reunited him with Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva David, and followed their characters living in Paris with their daughter. CBS has not confirmed whether de Pablo will also return to NCIS.
Details about Tony’s storyline remain under wraps. The network has kept plot specifics classified, but confirmed his arc will play out across the entire season. Weatherly last appeared on the flagship series in February 2024 and reprised the role more recently in the now-canceled spinoff.
Mark Harmon’s Return as Gibbs in NCIS: Origins Season 3
Mark Harmon is making his most significant return to the NCIS universe since leaving the main series in 2021. The 74-year-old actor will appear in every episode of NCIS: Origins Season 3 as a present-day version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Harmon previously served as the narrator for NCIS: Origins, guiding viewers through the story of a younger Gibbs played by Austin Stowell. In Season 3, Harmon will step in front of the camera for a full season-long arc.
The new season will follow two timelines:
- One storyline shows young Gibbs building his career at Camp Pendleton during the 1990s
- The present-day timeline follows an older Gibbs confronting a secret from his past that he has kept hidden for years
CBS announced that this season-long mystery will serve as the central focus of the entire season. The show’s official social media accounts posted a message saying: “The story he never told enters a new chapter”.
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Season 24 of NCIS: What to Expect
NCIS Season 24 will feature Sean Murray (Timothy McGee), Wilmer Valderrama (Nick Torres), Brian Dietzen (Jimmy Palmer), Diona Reasonover (Kasie Hines), Katrina Law (Jessica Knight), and Gary Cole (Alden Parker) as series regulars. Of the current cast, Murray and Dietzen are the only regulars whose time on the show overlapped with Weatherly’s original run.
The season will air on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS and will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
CBS Studios produces NCIS and all shows in the franchise. Executive producers for Season 24 include Steven D. Binder, Chas. Floyd Johnson, Mark Harmon, Scott Williams, Christopher J. Waild, Mark R. Schilz, José Clemente Hernandez, Avery C. Drewe, Marco Schnabel, and Donald P. Bellisario.
The franchise will also add NCIS: New York to its roster in the 2026-27 season.
Mark Harmon: “The story he never told enters a new chapter” – NCIS franchise social media announcement about his NCIS: Origins return.
Fans have reacted positively to both announcements. Comments on social media included “Best news ever! Gibbs has been missed so much” and “fans have a reason to celebrate today”. The news of Weatherly’s return also generated excitement, especially following the recent cancellation of Tony & Ziva.
The exact premiere dates for both NCIS Season 24 and NCIS: Origins Season 3 have not been announced. Based on previous seasons, both shows are expected to premiere in the fall as part of CBS’s 2026-2027 schedule.
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