Is ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Returning for Season 4? Here’s What We Know So Far
Criminal Minds: Evolution is back on TV, and boy do we already have a lot to talk about!
Season 3 (season 18 overall) of the Paramount+ drama is currently dropping new episodes every Thursday, and viewers are stunned by some of the heartbreaking twists. Amid the reveal of Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) having amnesia and not remembering his past crimes, he has the BAU in shock over what he does remember about their next case. And if that’s not enough, J.J. Jareau (A.J. Cook) suffers a personal tragedy when her husband Will LaMontagne Jr. (Josh Stewart) suddenly dies from a brain aneurysm. This leads the BAU to be her rock through a difficult time, and we can only imagine where her journey leads in future episodes.
As Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 is just getting into the thick of the installment, fans are already wondering if the show will be back for season 4. Well, thanks to some key clues, we’ve solved the case for you.
Is Criminal Minds: Evolution renewed for season 4?
In a surprise announcement made by the show on Instagram, viewers learned Criminal Minds: Evolution will return for season 4 (season 19 overall). And if that wasn’t enough, the news of the show’s return came two months before season 3 aired on May 8.
“What’s in the box, Profilers?!” the caption read on March 5. “➡️ Unveiling your first look at the new season of #CriminalMinds: Evolution, premiering May 8 on @paramountplus! ➡️ Plus, exciting news: we’ll be back for another season!”
Naturally, seeing this piece of information had Criminal Minds fans screaming over what’s to come.
“FINALLY! AND YOU ALSO GOT RENEWED FOR SEASON 19! SO HAPPY!” one person wrote in the comments. “SCREAMING!!!! THE MONTH OF MAY JUST GOT SO MUCH BETTER,” another exclaimed. “Yes!! I’m so excited. I cannot wait!” a different follower added.
Is Criminal Minds: Evolution season 4 currently filming?
Thanks to an X (formerly Twitter) update from Paget Brewster, fans learned Criminal Minds: Evolution is in production for season 4.
“I’m doing my physical therapy at home, gunning it to get better for @criminalminds season 19,” she wrote in March 2025 amid being in recovery for an elbow fracture. “We start shooting in May!”
If that wasn’t enough, Kirsten Vangsness dropped an even more epic update on May 16. Posting a TikTok video from the Criminal Minds: Evolution set, she shared the cast was back together to film the next installment.
“IT IS HAPPENING @criminalminds #jemily,” she wrote in the caption.
Who is in the cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 4?
Based on the show’s current events, here’s who viewers can expect to return for Criminal Minds: Evolution season
- Paget Brewster as BAU unit chief Emily Prentiss
- Joe Mantegna as SSA David Rossi
- A.J. Cook as SSA Jennifer “J.J.” Jareau
- Adam Rodriguez as SSA Luke Alvez
- Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia
- Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis
- Ryan-James Hanataka as Tyler Green
- Zach Gilford as Elias Voit
Will Matthew Gray Gubler return as Dr. Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 4?
As fans of Criminal Minds know, Matthew portrayed Dr. Spencer Reid for the original series’ entire 15-season run on CBS. While his character wasn’t seen in the first two seasons of Criminal Minds: Evolution, Reid (and subsequently, Matthew) made a shockingly brief appearance in the season 3 episode “Time to Say Goodbye.”
While viewers did get another taste of Reid in the Criminal Minds universe, many had high hopes to see Matthew back in the role for a longer amount of time on Criminal Minds: Evolution. But as Paget told us in an interview ahead of the episode airing, his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment may have been just what the show needed.
“One hot second of Matthew Gray Gubler is worth a thousand years of someone else,” she exclusively told us in May 2025. “It was as if no time has passed, and he’s a personal friend so we communicate with him all the time. So, it wasn’t a big deal, because it was like, ‘Oh, this is nice! Alright dude — think about doing this again!”
Given how viewers saw Spencer come to support J.J. and her kids during Will’s funeral, we can only hope he comes back around to be a bigger part of their lives.
Will Shemar Moore come back as Derek Morgan in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 4?
While Shemar famously played SSA Derek Morgan for the first 11 seasons of Criminal Minds, he left the show in 2016 in order to star in the CBS drama S.W.A.T. And despite S.W.A.T. ending in May 2025 after eight seasons of being on the air, it was revealed the actor will reprise his role as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in the TV spinoff S.W.A.T. Exiles.
With all of this in mind, is there a chance we’ll see Shemar back in the Criminal Minds universe? As Paget shared in a separate interview with us in May 2025, the jury is still out for SSA Morgan to make an appearance.
“I don’t know!” she exclusively answered at the time. “That’s something that I have no control. I mean, none of us have any control over any situation … I don’t know if he would come back. I don’t know if he’s got another show. I’m excited to see what the future holds, but I don’t know if it’s with us.”
Fingers crossed we get to see Shemar back in Quantico very soon!
