The NCIS universe is expanding with the announcement of a new spin-off featuring the beloved characters Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David. Michael Weatherly, who portrays Tony, has been dropping hints to fans, teasing excitement and surprises in the forthcoming series. This news follows the recent reveal of the “Young Gibbs” prequel, NCIS: Origins, and has generated considerable enthusiasm among the show’s dedicated fan base.
Fans have long awaited the on-screen reunion of Tony and Ziva, played by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, respectively. For the first time in a decade, they will share the screen in a spin-off titled NCIS: Europe. This reunion promises to evoke a strong response from the loyal NCIS audience.
According to a report by Movieweb, Weatherly, known for engaging with fans on social media, responded to a fan’s GIF images with comments that stirred anticipation. Expressing his excitement about the new spin-off, Weatherly stated, “NCIS has a great world to explore… And I cannot wait to be working with so many amazing people on this project. We will make it the very best it can be!” When asked about what he was looking forward to the most, Weatherly teased, “Probably seeing [what] a Tony/Ziva offspring looks like? And then working with John McNamara and team. And btw – there are MORE surprises coming very soon! Hahahaha! Aha!”
Penned by John McNamara, known for his work on The Magicians and Trumbo, NCIS: Europe is slated for a ten-episode season. The storyline follows Tony and Ziva as they embark on a journey across Europe with their daughter, Tali. Set after their reunion in Paris, the series delves into their family life, disrupted when Tony’s security company faces an attack. Forced to go on the run, they traverse the continent, unraveling the mystery behind the assault and striving to reclaim the happiness they had found.
While Weatherly’s teasing has sparked curiosity, fans will have to wait patiently for NCIS: Europe to grace their screens on Paramount+. Filming is expected to commence later this year, hinting at a potential 2025 release. In the meantime, Mark Harmon is set to return as the narrator for NCIS: Origins, the Gibbs-focused prequel scheduled to premiere in September 2024.
“Tiva” is back. CBS Studios is expanding its NCIS franchise by reuniting Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David, portrayed by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo. Paramount+ has given a 10-episode series order to the spin-off headlined by Weatherly and de Pablo and written by John McNamara. All three will serve as executive producers.
Nicknamed NCIS: Europe, the new action-packed spin-off will follow Tony and Ziva as they find themselves on the run across the continent. After Ziva’s supposed death, Tony left the NCIS team to raise their daughter. Years later, Ziva was discovered alive and reunited with Tony and Tali in Paris. The new series picks up from there, following their life together as they face new dangers and challenges.
“We’ve been talking about this story for many years, and now with John McNamara at the helm, we are ready,” Weatherly and de Pablo said. “The world of Tony and Ziva (and daughter Tali) promises to be an action-packed roller coaster fueled by love, danger, tears, and laughter. We also want to acknowledge and thank the fans from around the world who supported the ‘Tiva’ movement for years. To this day, they say hello in grocery stores and on the street to tell us how much these characters mean to them and ask what Tony and Ziva are up to now. This is for you!”
Weatherly hinted at a potential ‘Tiva’ reunion last month when his New Year’s tweet, “It’s time to look at time and enjoy the moment!” prompted a fan to respond, “We all would rather look at you and Ziva reuniting.” Weatherly highlighted the comment, adding, “Stay tuned… for this might be an interesting year for such ‘moments’!” He further fueled speculation by responding to a fan tweet lamenting about him and de Pablo, “miss the chemistry and magic you both create,” with the cryptic, “the universe works in mysterious ways…”
De Pablo, Weatherly, and McNamara will executive produce the spin-off series with Laurie Lieser, Christina Strain, and Shelley Meals. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
“I’m incredibly excited to step into the NCIS universe with Cote and Michael and thrilled to explore it from a few new angles,” McNamara said. “Given that the franchise is such a global sensation, I think it’s phenomenal that CBS Studios and Paramount+ have given us the green light to shoot in Europe. As to the title of this series, if I told you what it is, I’d be violating the Espionage Act.”
Weatherly, an original NCIS cast member, left after 13 seasons and headlined another CBS drama, Bull. Speculation about his potential return to NCIS picked up after Bull ended its run last spring. He recently made a surprise cameo in the Ducky tribute episode of the main series.
De Pablo joined NCIS in Season 3 and appeared through Season 10, exiting early in Season 11. She returned in 2019, revealing that her character had been in hiding. She made a surprise return in the season 16 finale and appeared in several episodes of season 17.
The NCIS franchise, a significant asset for CBS Studios, has spawned multiple successful spin-offs and remains a global sensation. Veteran showrunner McNamara recently served as an executive producer on the Apple TV+ series Physical and co-created Syfy’s The Magicians.
Sources: Movieweb, CBS Studios