CBS announced it is expanding its popular NCIS franchise with a prequel series, NCIS: Origins. Set in 1991, NCIS: Origins follows U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper Leroy Jethro Gibbs as he becomes a special agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).
On the original series NCIS, Gibbs was portrayed by actor Mark Harmon, who will narrate NCIS: Origins. Harmon’s son, actor Sean Harmon, will portray young Gibbs in the new series.
Sean Harmon has played young Gibbs in a total of seven NCIS episodes (Season 6, 7, 9, and 18) since 2008. Sean Harmon was last seen as young Gibbs in the 2020 episode ‘Everything Starts Somewhere’ which is set in 1980, when Gibbs and Ducky (the late David McCallum) became involved in their first case together.
Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, said: “Viewers can look forward to Mark Harmon returning to CBS to narrate the complex and mysterious backstory of Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ early years in NCIS: ORIGINS, which will build on the rich legacy of this character while reintroducing fan-favorite characters and meeting new ones.”
David Stapf, president of CBS Studios, said: “When Sean and Mark approached us all with this exciting expansion of the universe – exploring a young Gibbs – we knew it was the next story that needed to be told.”
Sean Harmon said: “The character of Gibbs has been an important part of my life for 20 years, both in watching my father craft the role and previously having the honor to play young Gibbs myself.”
Father and son, Mark Harmon and Sean Harmon, are executive producers of the show which will premiere during the 2024-2025 broadcast season on CBS.
