Michael Weatherly could potentially return as Tony DiNozzo in NCIS Season 22. He already made a brief appearance in NCIS Season 21, showing up at the end of the memorial episode for David Mallum. This episode saw the series bid farewell to Ducky, giving everyone a moment to grieve. It made sense for DiNozzo to return for this moment, as he was close to both Ducky and Palmer, supporting his friends during their time of loss.
Now, the focus shifts to whether Weatherly will return in NCIS Season 22. There’s a possibility this could happen, especially with the upcoming NCIS: Tony and Ziva spin-off series in the works for the 2024-2025 season. This new series will follow Tony and Ziva as they travel across Europe with their daughter and find themselves in trouble. There’s talk of NCIS acting as a platform to launch this spin-off, possibly through a backdoor pilot.
If a backdoor pilot is used, it could be a way to integrate Tony’s storyline into the main NCIS series, potentially with characters like McGee or Palmer alerting Tony to the danger his family is in. While the spin-off series has already been picked up, CBS and Paramount Plus might still opt for a backdoor pilot to generate additional interest.
However, the spin-off’s production schedule might complicate Weatherly’s return to the main NCIS series. With production starting in Europe during the summer, coordinating filming schedules could be challenging. Despite these challenges, fans of Michael Weatherly can look forward to seeing him in the NCIS: Tony and Ziva spin-off series, even if his return to the flagship series proves difficult.
