Michael Weatherly Returns to ‘NCIS’ as Tony DiNozzo for Season 24

A decade after leaving NCIS, Michael Weatherly is returning to his iconic role as Tony DiNozzo. On July 1, CBS announced the 57-year-old actor’s return for the 24th season of the long-running procedural series. Weatherly previously starred as a main cast member for 13 seasons before departing in 2016.

The network confirmed in a press release that Weatherly’s return will involve a ‘season-long arc’ that reunites him with the NCIS team. Weatherly also shared this news on the show’s Instagram account, remarking, “I’ll see you in the fall,” accompanied by a caption that read, “We’ve missed this one… welcome back, old friend!”

Weatherly’s last appearance on NCIS was during a season 21 episode titled “The Stories We Leave Behind.” This episode paid tribute to David McCallum and his character, Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, following McCallum’s death in September 2023. Weatherly also reprised his role in the Paramount+ spinoff series NCIS: Tony & Ziva, alongside co-star Cote de Pablo.

Fans reacted enthusiastically to Weatherly’s return, expressing hope that Cote de Pablo would join him. Many comments on social media conveyed excitement, with some fans saying the spinoff should not have been canceled and others pleading for a reunion of Tony and Ziva on NCIS.

When NCIS: Tony & Ziva was canceled in December after one season, Weatherly and de Pablo shared a joint statement through Variety. It said, “We feel incredibly lucky to have had the chance to play these characters once again and to tell the next chapter of Tony and Ziva’s story.” The statement also expressed gratitude to the cast, crew, writers, directors, producers, and partners at CBS Studios and Paramount+, and most importantly, to the fans. The duo celebrated that fans got to see Tony and Ziva’s happy ending.

Besides Weatherly, the upcoming NCIS season 24 cast will include Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Katrina Law, and Gary Cole. NCIS is set to air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET this fall on CBS and will be available for streaming on Paramount+.