Brace yourselves, “NCIS” followers: An outdated pal is rejoining the group.
Michael Weatherly is returning to the hit CBS procedural subsequent season, reprising his position as Tony DiNozzo in a season-long arc, TVLine has discovered. Weatherly confirmed the information in a video posted to the present’s official Instagram, laughing and saying, “I will see you within the fall.” (“NCIS” returns this fall for Season 24, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. forward of recent spin-off “NCIS: New York.”)
Weatherly was an authentic forged member when “NCIS” debuted on CBS again in 2003, starring as brash subject agent Tony DiNozzo for 13 seasons. He left the present within the Season 13 episode “Household First,” with Tony resigning from the group to boost the daughter, Tali, he shared with fellow agent Ziva David. Weatherly later returned as Tony in Season 21 for the funeral of beloved medical expert Donald “Ducky” Mallard (performed by the late David McCallum) in “The Tales We Depart Behind.”
Final yr, Weatherly reunited with “NCIS” co-star Cote de Pablo, who performed Ziva, for the Paramount+ spin-off “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” which noticed Tony and Ziva co-parenting their daughter in Paris earlier than getting concerned in worldwide intrigue. (Learn our finale recap right here.) The present, although, was canceled after only one season.
Weatherly’s not the one “NCIS” alum returning to the franchise, both: Mark Harmon will reprise his position as Gibbs subsequent season on the CBS prequel spin-off “NCIS: Origins” in a season-long arc.
Will Tony be the NCIS group’s new director?
Tony’s return brings up one large query, although: Is he taking up for the late Leon Vance because the group’s new director? (Vance was killed off within the present’s milestone five hundredth episode final season, with co-star Rocky Carroll leaving the sequence after 18 years.) Vance’s loss of life left a void that has but to be stuffed on the present, and the present’s forged and crew hinted that somebody we already knew may are available in to fill his sneakers.
“My desire, I might wish to see a well-known face,” Brian Dietzen, who performs Jimmy, instructed TVLine in April on the annual CBS Fest in Los Angeles. “Particularly with all of the tumult of shedding Director Vance, I wish to see a well-known face there, in order that we sort of know what our bearings are.”
“NCIS” showrunner Steven D. Binder admitted that they have been contemplating various choices for the brand new director: “We’ll preserve our ear to the bottom, and if a casting alternative comes our means, we’ll take it.” He added, “Now if we will discover a technique to have a director who’s additionally actually concerned within the circumstances one way or the other, that may be attention-grabbing.”
What do you consider Tony’s return, “NCIS” followers? Would you need to see him as the brand new director? Hit the feedback to share your ideas!
