Mark Harmon Breaks Silence on Potential NCIS Return — Everything Fans Need to Know

NCIS legend Mark Harmon is back in the headlines thanks to a trio of personal and professional milestones that have reignited fan interest and fueled fresh speculation about the future of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. A New Role Off-Screen: Grandpa In a rare family update, Harmon’s daughter-in-law, wellness influencer Courtney Prather, revealed that she and husband Sean Harmon quietly welcomed their first child earlier this year, making the 73-year-old actor a first-time grandfather. The news delighted longtime NCIS viewers, many of whom still remember Sean’s cameo as young Gibbs in the series’ flashback episodes. Guiding the Franchise with NCIS: Origins While he stepped away from NCIS in 2021, Harmon never really left the franchise. He is serving as executive producer and narrator for the upcoming prequel NCIS: Origins, which explores Gibbs’ early years at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Sources close to the production confirm that Harmon will lend his voice to every episode and is slated for a brief on-camera appearance in the premiere, a move designed to pass the torch to the show’s new lead while reassuring longtime fans that Gibbs’ legacy is intact. Will Gibbs Re-Enlist? Whispers of a potential full-time return gained steam after a tabloid report claimed CBS executives were courting Harmon to combat slumping live ratings. Network insiders have brushed aside rumors of behind-the-scenes “tension,” but the mere possibility has been enough to keep NCIS at the center of social-media chatter. Big-Screen Reunion with Jamie Lee Curtis Away from the small screen, Harmon is reportedly reuniting with former NCIS guest star Jamie Lee Curtis for a new, as-yet-untitled comedy feature. According to U.K. entertainment outlets, filming is expected to begin this fall and will mark the pair’s first joint project since Curtis’ fan-favorite arc as Dr. Samantha Ryan in 2012. Rare Public Sighting Turns Heads Harmon typically keeps a low profile, but paparazzi recently spotted him enjoying an ice-cream date with wife Pam Dawber near their California home. Photos of the casually dressed actor—sporting gray scruff and a ball cap—went viral as fans marveled at his laid-back, off-duty look. Why Mark Harmon Keeps Trending • Enduring Gibbs fandom: NCIS remains TV’s most-watched drama in syndication and streaming. • Fresh content pipeline: NCIS: Origins will extend the Gibbs mythology for a new generation. • Social buzz around his family life: Grandfatherhood humanizes the famously private star. • Cross-platform presence: Potential film roles and cameo rumors keep him in the pop-culture conversation. What to Watch Next The NCIS: Origins premiere is set for late September, and CBS is expected to release the first full trailer within weeks. Meanwhile, industry trackers predict that any on-screen Gibbs return—even a single-episode guest spot—would trigger one of the season’s biggest ratings spikes. For now, fans can celebrate a new chapter in Harmon’s off-screen life while speculating about whether the silver-haired sniper will ever pick up his badge again. One thing is certain: whenever Mark Harmon moves, the internet pays attention, and Gibbs’ rules still apply—never underestimate a Marine, never bet against NCIS, and always watch the senior field agent’s six.