CBS has delivered a major update that NCIS fans have been hoping for, and it could mark one of the biggest moments in the franchise’s long history.
2025 has already been a huge year for the NCIS universe. It began with the launch of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, the first streaming spinoff led by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, reuniting the fan-favorite duo on screen for the first time since 2013. The show quickly gained traction, sparking excitement about what comes next.
CBS also introduced its first-ever three-hour NCIS programming block this fall, airing NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney back-to-back on Tuesday nights. Now, the network is preparing another milestone — the first crossover between NCIS and NCIS: Origins, connecting two timelines within the same story.
The special Veterans Day event on November 11 will feature the highly anticipated return of Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Harmon, who narrates NCIS: Origins and last appeared on screen in 2024, will step back into the iconic role for the opening hour of the crossover. It will mark his first on-screen appearance in the NCIS universe since his departure in Season 19.
The event will also bring back Diany Rodriguez and Roma Maffia, reprising their roles for the crossover storyline.
According to CBS, the story begins in NCIS: Origins, where a 1990s investigation into the death of a naval officer in Serenity, California sets off a chain of events that reaches the present day. The narrative continues in NCIS, as a modern prison break forces the team to reopen the decades-old case and seek help from retired agent Vera Strickland.
Whether Gibbs will share scenes with the current NCIS team remains unknown, but his return alone is a major moment for longtime viewers. With its past-meets-present storytelling, the crossover is already being positioned as one of the most memorable events in NCIS history.