First NCIS Season 24 Cast Shake-Up Details Officially Revealed

The NCIS lore is about to get deeper in season 24.

After a few years of narrative struggles, it felt like 2025-2026 TV cycle inched the procedural closer to a completed rebrand. Between Ellie Bishop sorting out her lingering stories and the death of Director Leon Vance, NCIS is kicking off a new era, at least in terms of what the agency will look like moving forward. Interestingly, however, the procedural is looking at the past for its upcoming narrative, which is a trend that is seemingly applicable to the franchise as a whole.

For context, all upcoming shows on Super Tuesday will see an NCIS legend comeback. Mark Harmon is reprising his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs full-time for NCIS: Origins season 3, while LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna is starting a new chapter via NCIS: New York. Both returns are obviously exciting, especially for long-time fans who miss familiar faces and are nostalgic for the earlier years of the universe. Among these, however, arguably the most interesting comeback is Michael Weatherly in NCIS season 24 as Tony Dinozzo Jr. for a season-long arc.

During his appearance at Comic-Con Midlands (via @a11laura/x), Weatherly opened up about what to expect from his upcoming role in NCIS, teasing that whatever brings him back to Navy Yard has something to do with what happened in NCIS: Tony & Ziva. He also debunked ongoing theories that Dinozzo Jr.’s return is a way for CBS to retcon the events of his Paramount+ spinoff with Cote de Pablo, who was also present on the panel. Read his full comment below:

“It’s going to be very interesting to see what is revealed and unfurled, but I can tell you this: There is a definite connection between [Tony & Ziva] and the canon that that created within — there’s not going to be retconning of like, oh, Tony & Ziva never happened.

“God, I wish I could tell you one great thing. … I just know that it’s going to be an exciting return and sort of back to what Cote was saying, the formula of the original show, with the crime and the investigation and the red herring at the turn of the hour and everyone chasing around and all the interpersonal play. I have really enjoyed watching what the show has done over the last 10 years since I left, but it’s a different show now. So, I’m very much about respecting the show I’m coming into and being aware that they’ve built an extraordinarily successful tenure run but, that doesn’t mean that what we did isn’t going to be able to live alongside and inside that show, and if I say any more, I’m going to start saying specific things, so I’m going to be quiet.

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Weatherly also mentioned that he’ll start work for NCIS season 24 this Tuesday, July 14. Interestingly, however, there was no comment about Ziva potentially also joining him. When news broke out that Dinozzo Jr. was coming back to the flagship, questions about whether his partner would also join him. For context, both characters have returned to NCIS since their respective exits, but they have never done it together. Considering the ending of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, it makes sense that the public has questions about the status of their relationship.

On the heels of the season 23 finale, Wilmer Valderrama confirmed that NCIS season 24 will feature cast additions. He didn’t get into specifics about the matter, but it’s safe to say that when he made the comment, he already knew that Weatherly was coming back as Dinozzo Jr. The question now is if there are any other changes that have yet to be announced for the procedural. While CBS and de Pablo have been mum about Ziva’s comeback, it’s actually a much better scenario than a straight-up negative response to the matter.

Weatherly’s return effectively sets up NCIS season 24 to continue NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s story — regardless of de Pablo makes an appearance. With the spinoff’s events staying in canon, there’s no way that there won’t be any reference to how Ziva or Tali is in Paris, if they’re actually still there. Ultimately, it’s an exciting time for NCIS with Dinozzo’s upcoming comeback.

NCIS

6/10

Release Date

September 23, 2003

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  Sean Murray

  Timothy McGee

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  David McCallum

  Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard