The Leroy Jethro Gibbs of NCIS: Origins may be better than the original, thanks to one detail about the upcoming prequel spinoff. In 2024, the NCIS franchise announced that it would launch a prequel series to explore the backstory of central NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The series will flash back to 1991, when Gibbs was getting his start at NIS (later NCIS). It was a pivotal time for the former gunnery sergeant, coinciding with what happened to Gibbs’ wife and daughter in NCIS. As such, NCIS: Origins will hone in on an emotional time in the character’s life.
While NCIS revealed Gibbs’ traumatic past, the prequel series will further explore how it affected his career change. The shift in Gibbs’ life at the time was inspired by his NIS partner and mentor, Mike Franks, who Muse Watson played in the original series. Kyle Schmid’s Mike Franks will join Austin Stowell’s Gibbs for the prequel series, as the character is necessary for the former Marine’s transition. The NCIS: Origins cast also features some new faces, but Gibbs is the focal point — and this version of him could be more interesting than Mark Harmon’s.
