Could Hotch Return For Evolution After Strike Reunion?

Thomas Gibson's dismissal from "Criminal Minds" understandably sent shockwaves through the show's fanbase, with some believing the series never quite recovered from his departure. Those fans might agree the show has rebounded mightily with its streaming revival. But even as longtime showrunner Erica Messer continues to plot the returns of MIA stars Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney for "Criminal Minds: Evolution," Gibson's name has not been mentioned as a possibility. Such it is that Aaron Hotchner's hastily-engineered sojourn to the Witness Protection Program may indeed be quite permanent.

Even still, a quick look at Gibson's IMDb page would confirm the actor's schedule is pretty open should Messer come calling. It's all but impossible to know how much the circumstances behind his dismissal from "Criminal Minds" have affected him professionally, but Gibson really has kept a low profile since, earning credits on just two projects in the ensuing seven years. That includes contributing voice work to the 2017 thriller "Axis," which also served as the directorial debut of his "Criminal Minds" co-star, Aisha Tyler. Gibson resurfaced in 2019 to lead the cast of the straight-to-DVD military thriller "Shadow Wolves."

Neither film made much of an impact on the cinematic landscape, with "Shadow Wolves" marking the last time Gibson made a screen appearance. The actor was set to write and star in an indie feature titled "The Writer's Bible," but the film has apparently been stuck in post-production limbo for some time now, and its release remains uncertain.