'Criminal Minds': Will Thomas Gibson's Hotch Return for Paramount+ Revival?

The Criminal Minds revival is coming together slowly on Paramount+, with six main cast members now confirmed to return. So far, there has been no word about whether actor Thomas Gibson will return to play FBI analyst Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, but fans have their theories. Considering Gibson's dramatic departure from the show, most expect he will be absent from the revival.

Criminal Minds just ended in February of 2022 with 15 seasons in total, so this revival comes hot on its heels. So far, we know that Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler and Paget Brewster will all be returning as their original characters — and that Matthew Gray Gubler will not. However, the studio is still finalizing contracts for these actors so casting may not be over yet. Any chance of Gibson returning is faint, but some fans are holding out hope. Gibson was dismissed from the series in 2016 after a confrontation with a writer and producer.

According to a report by CNN, he had physically kicked the writer over a disagreement about the script. In a public statement at the time, he said: "There were creative differences on the set and a disagreement. I regret that it occurred. We all want to work together as a team to make the best show possible. We always have and we always will."

Gibson had reportedly had other combative moments on the set by then as well, after 11 years in the cast of Criminal Minds. He had reportedly gotten into an altercation with an assistant director, prompting the studio to send him to mandated anger-management counseling. Gibson was suspended from work for two weeks.

"Thomas Gibson has been dismissed from Criminal Minds," the studios announced. "Creative details for how the character's exit will be addressed in the show will be announced at a later date." In the end, other characters explained that Hotch had simply retired early to spend time with his children. His job went to Emily Prentiss (Brewster).

With all this in mind, Hotch is not the most likely character to return for the special 10-episode Criminal Minds revival. The streaming special will reportedly follow a different format than the procedural fans are familiar with, but details are still being ironed out and kept under wraps. For now, the original 15 seasons of Criminal Minds are streaming on Paramount+, where the revival will eventually air.