Criminal Minds: Evolution Trailer Released by Paramount+

Last week a brief teaser trailer for the new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution was released that gave just a taste into what looks to be a high-octane season. After Criminal Minds wrapped its 15th season on CBS, there was talk about bringing the fan-favorite BAU team back at the same time the show was gaining popularity during the pandemic. It was officially greenlit back in early 2022 and released its first ten episode season in November of 2022. It didn’t take long for it to be renewed, as a renewal came long before the season finale took place. Instead of focusing on a “big bad” every episode like its predecessor, Evolution focuses on one unsub for the whole season. Last season Elias Voit (played by Zach Gibson) was introduced, an unsub that the group has been tracking for years.

In the new season which debuts June 6 with two brand new episodes, the BAU will team up with Voit to help solve their latest mystery — GOLD STAR. As revealed in the finale, the only two people that knew about it were Voit and Deputy Director Bailey but that has clearly changed. Paramount+ has now shared the full-length trailer which introduces Clark Gregg as the FBI Director Ray Madison who will be joined by a slew of new cast members this season, including Brian White as Elias Voit’s attorney Vincent Orlov, Frank Church as a presumed advocate for kids, and Paul F. Tompkins reprising his role as conspiracy theorist Brian Garrity from season 15, episode 4. 

Per the synopsis, “as the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU’s own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.” Some of that is clearly on display in the trailer as Rossi is in a few dangerous situations himself with a gun pointed at him and trapped in what looks like an elevator that is slowly caving in on him.

As seen in the trailer, Criminal Minds vets Kirsten Vangsness, Joe Mantegna, Adam Rodriguez, A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster and Aisha Tyler will all be reprising their roles. There’s still no word on Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid or Daniel Henney’s Matt Simmons making a return, as last season they were written off as “on assignment.” While Gubler has indicated that he would love to return, it’s unclear if a decision was made to bring him back this time around. A long-time cast member that won’t be returning, however, is Josh Stewart as Will LaMontaigne Jr., a police detective and the husband of JJ. Stewart broke the news to fans on his social media a few months back. “No sadly, my days of playing Will LaMontagne Jr. are over. You guys have been the absolute best,” Stewart wrote.

Stay tuned to Comicbook for updates on Criminal Minds: Evolution.