Here Are The Six Original Criminal Minds Cast Members In Talks To Return For The Revival
"Criminal Minds" was a fast-paced crime procedural that bolstered CBS' ratings for 15 seasons. Centered around employees of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, they try to solve crimes using their unique sets of skills. The series showcased a lot of talent — from Mandy Patinkin, who portrayed Jason Gideon for three seasons, to Shemar Moore, whose Derek Morgan became an instant fan favorite. There was also quirky hacker Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), who became one of the show's breakout characters, and was also famous for her banter with Morgan.
Fans of the show were delighted when Paramount+ announced that "Criminal Minds" would return for a miniseries that would serve as its 16th season. After many stops and starts along the way, the sequel appears to finally be on its way. Today, Paramount made a major announcement about the show's cast, and fans are bound to be thrilled by who's set to appear in the new show. Keep reading to find out which of the series' many former regulars will return for the revival.
Much of the show's last regular cast are reportedly set to return
Per Deadline, Joe Mantegna, Adam Rodriguez, Aisha Tyler, Kirsten Vangsness, A. J. Cook, and Paget Brewster have agreed to come back to "Criminal Minds" for its revival season — respectively, they played David Rossi, Luke Alvez, Tara Lewis, Penelope Garcia, JJ Jareau, and Emily Prentiss. The outlet, however, stressed that their returns will be subject to availability and that their contracts have yet to be finalized.
Should all six actors return as rumored, that should make for an impressive start for the reboot, regrouping much of the cast as it was during the 15th season of "Criminal Minds" (per IMDb). But even with that in mind, "Criminal Minds" will nonetheless likely have to continue to forge its own path minus a few of its signature faces.
Among the show's best-remembered past cast members, Thomas Gibson, who played Aaron Hotchner for the program's first 12 seasons, had a stint that ended abruptly when he was terminated in 2016 after an altercation with a staff writer (per Entertainment Weekly). Shemar Moore is currently a cast member on CBS' "S.W.A.T." Lola Glaudini's Elle Greenaway left the program after Elle resigned from the FBI, leaving the door ajar for her return. And Matthew Gray Gubler continues to take on film work, leaving the notion of him resuming his part as Spencer Reid up in the air.
Fans will have to stay tuned to find out if those actors or their characters will join the Season 16 cast or make guest appearances on the show.