Mark Harmon Returning to NCIS
NCIS: Origins, a prequel about a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, will bring back Mark Harmon to narrate.
Mark Harmon was the face of NCIS for nearly 20 years but departed the series in 2022 after appearing in more than 400 episodes across 18 seasons. If you've missed seeing Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the small screen, you're in luck, because the character is coming back... with a twist. It was revealed by Variety that CBS has ordered a prequel series that will follow young Gibbs. The series will be titled NCIS: Origins and is set to debut in the 2024-2025 season. The series takes place in 1991, so Harmon will not be reprising the role, however, he will serve as the show's narrator.
You can read the official description of NCIS: Origins here: "In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks."
David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal co-write the prequel's pilot and are set to take on the roles of executive producers and co-showrunners. North and Monreal wrote on NCIS for a decade, and North currently serves as the co-showrunner on the long-running series.
Who Will Play Young Gibbs in NCIS: Origins?
Mark Harmon is executive producing the prequel series with his son, Sean Harmon, who initially pitched the show to CBS. The younger Harmon previously played a younger version of Gibbs in an episode of NCIS, but he is not expected to take on the role in the new series. According to the report, casting for the show will begin soon.
"We are elated and honored to continue the expansion of the 'NCIS' universe in such a unique and unexpected way," Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement. "Viewers can look forward to Mark Harmon returning to CBS to narrate the complex and mysterious backstory of Leroy Jethro Gibbs' early years in 'NCIS: Origins,' which will build on the rich legacy of this character while reintroducing fan-favorite characters and meeting new ones."
"There's no denying the cultural and global phenomenon of the 'NCIS' franchise for the last 20 years," David Stapf, president of CBS Studios, added. "When Sean and Mark approached us all with this exciting expansion of the universe – exploring a young Gibbs – we knew it was the next story that needed to be told. We also couldn't be luckier to have Gina and David at the helm as co-showrunners who are not only brilliant and adept writers, but know this character and universe so well."
Stay tuned for more updates about NCIS: Origins.