Will Shemar Moore Return to ‘Criminal Minds’ in ‘Evolution’? ‘All I Need Is an Invitation’

Right now, Shemar Moore is leading the CBS procedural S.W.A.T., entering its final season, but before these seven years as team leader Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, the network fans knew him as Special Agent Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds.

Though it initially ended in 2020, Criminal Minds is now back with a continuation, Evolution, on Paramount+. Most of the cast from the original run has returned, so what are the chances of Moore reprising his role as Morgan? TV Insider had to ask him just that when we caught up with him about S.W.A.T.‘s upcoming season.

“All I need is an invitation,” Moore says. “I never forget where I came from. I’ve gone back to the soap opera which started my career three or four times. It started with The Young and the Restless, and then it was Criminal Minds. And that’s my evolution. Without The Young and the Restless, there’s no Criminal Minds, and without Criminal Minds, there’s no S.W.A.T. So obviously my schedule’s crazy, but if we were able to get creative and I got an invitation, if they asked me to come visit, I would definitely do that.”

Moore starred on Criminal Minds as one of the agents in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, a team of profilers who track down the most twisted minds out there (including serial killers). He was one of the original cast members, and though he exited as a series regular in Season 11, he returned for guest spots in Seasons 12 and 13. Fun fact: Rochelle Aytes, who stars as Hondo’s love interest on S.W.A.T., also played his wife on Criminal Minds.

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The second season of Evolution is currently filming. Returning are Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), A.J. Cook (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau), Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia), Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis), Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez), Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), and Zach Gilford (Elias Voit), and Ryan-James Hatanaka (Tyler Green) has been upped to series regular. However, Josh Stewart, who recurred as JJ’s husband Will LaMontagne Jr., revealed on social media that he will not be returning.