A decade after leaving the show, Michael Weatherly will return as Tony DiNozzo in ‘NCIS’. CBS confirmed on July 1 that the actor, 57, will appear in the 24th season of the series. Weatherly, who originally left after 13 seasons in 2016, will have a significant role throughout the season.
The announcement was made in a CBS press release, as well as through a post on ‘NCIS’s’ Instagram account. In the post, Weatherly remarked, “I’ll see you in the fall,” while the accompanying caption noted, “We’ve missed this one… welcome back, old friend!”
Weatherly made a previous appearance in the season 21 episode “The Stories We Leave Behind,” which honored David McCallum and his character, Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, following McCallum’s passing in September 2023. Weatherly also reprised his role in the spinoff series, “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” with his costar Cote de Pablo. Despite being canceled after its first season in December, fans remain eager for a Tony and Ziva reunion on ‘NCIS’.
Fans expressed their excitement on social media, with one stating, “WHAT?!?!? You better be bringing @cotedepablo with you! 😍” and another adding, “It better be both Tony and Ziva! They should haven’t canceled their spinoff 😭😭😭” A third commented, “Michael this is only allowed if you bring @cotedepablo with you 😘”
In December, when news broke about the cancellation of “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” Weatherly and de Pablo released a joint statement through Variety. They expressed gratitude for reprising their roles and thanked the cast, crew, and fans for their support. They added that they were happy to continue Tony and Ziva’s story.
Joining Weatherly in season 24 are Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Katrina Law, and Gary Cole. The new season of ‘NCIS’ will air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, with streaming available on Paramount+.