Michael Weatherly returns to NCIS in season 24 first look (exclusive)

Tony DiNozzo is officially home.

A decade after his departure, Michael Weatherly is back on NCIS, and Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive first look at the original star’s return in season 24.

For the first 13 seasons of the flagship series, Weatherly starred as DiNozzo, a charming member of the Major Case Response Team. Weatherly departed in 2016, but he reprised the role in the 2025 spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which paired him with fellow OG Cote de Pablo.

Last month, CBS announced that Weatherly was set to rejoin NCIS for a major season-long arc.

“Having Michael Weatherly back in the NCIS family is one of those things a writer can only dream about,” showrunner Steven D. Binder tells EW. “We’re beyond excited to have him return. Tony DiNozzo has always had a way of changing the temperature of every scene he’s in, and watching the newer members of the team encounter the legend they’ve only heard stories about is exactly as fun as it sounds.”

In season 24, Weatherly will join a different group than was in place when he left, as the current cast includes Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Katrina Law, and Gary Cole.

“When we meet Tony this season, he’s back in Washington expanding his private security company, Salus Mondiale, and finds himself drawn into a case that feels right at home in the NCIS universe,” Binder further shares. “What made his return especially rewarding was exploring how he’s evolved. He’s still the charismatic, quick-witted DiNozzo fans know and love, but now he’s also a parent navigating life with a daughter, which has given him a little more perspective, maturity, and emotional depth.”