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Series star Wilmer Valderrama previously teased in a post-season 23 finale interview that there could be a ‘major shakeup happening.’ Find out more here.
Season 23 of NCIS came to a dramatic and haunting conclusion earlier this year. The series ended on a cliffhanger for Wilmer Valderrama‘s character, Torres, and Patrick Keleher‘s Mateo as gunshots rang out without knowing who shot whom. The episode didn’t just leave viewers reeling — it left the cast shaken as well, and Wilmer even teased that a “major shakeup” is on the horizon for season 24.
“Look, every couple of years, you guys know NCIS has to make sure you’re watching. So, we shake up the TV a little bit, and we listen,” Wilmer told People in June 2026. “And we listen to where you as fans want to see us do. So, we always really pay attention to what our fans want to really experience on the show.”
The actor continued, “So, if you ask me to speculate, I think there’s a major, major shakeup happening and that episode one is going to bring both … I don’t want to get in trouble for this one. Let me get in trouble. How about this? Next season, there’s some major changes, and there are some major additions. What does that mean for Torres? I can only hope that he makes it out alive.”
Hollywood Life has the latest updates on the season 24 cast of NCIS.
Who Is Still in the NCIS Cast for Season 24?
Most of the core NCIS cast is returning for Season 24, including Sean Murray as Special Agent Timothy McGee, Valderrama as Special Agent Nick Torres, Gary Cole as Alden Parker, Katrina Law as Special Agent Jessica Knight, Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer and Diona Reasonover as forensic scientist Kasie Hines.
However, the new season will look a bit different following the death of NCIS Director Leon Vance, played by Rocky Carroll, in the show’s milestone 500th episode during Season 23. Carroll is not expected to return as a series regular.
Season 24 will also feature the highly anticipated return of Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo. CBS confirmed in July 2026 that Weatherly will reprise the fan-favorite role for a season-long arc, marking his biggest return to the flagship series since departing in 2016.
When Does NCIS Season 24 Come Out?
NCIS Season 24 is set to premiere in fall 2026 on CBS. While the network has not yet announced an exact premiere date, the series is expected to return in late September or October 2026 as part of CBS’ 2026–27 primetime schedule.
Is Wilmer Valderrama Leaving NCIS?
As of July 2026, there is no indication that Valderrama is leaving NCIS. In fact, the actor shared behind-the-scenes photos from the cast’s first Season 24 table read in July 2026, confirming that production is underway and that he’ll be back as Special Agent Nick Torres.
During his June 2026 People interview, the former That ’70s Show star hinted that the season 23 finale episode will spur a “major shakeup.” He also pointed out that even the creative team hasn’t figured out what happened to his character and Keleher’s yet.
“To be honest, I don’t think we figured that one out yet,” Valderrama admitted, before adding, “I don’t think we have an idea yet. I asked, ‘What do we want from it,’ but I will tell you that someone does get hit, and people might not like it.”
