Our favorite profilers are returning to the Criminal Minds: Evolution set sooner than fans expected after just announcing the season 18 release date and season 19 renewal. On March 5, the Criminal Minds official Facebook page surprised fans with a season 18 release date. According to the teaser photo, fans expect to see season 17 BAU profilers and their FBI consultant back on the case on May 8, streaming on Paramount+.
The first look photo for season 18 teases the return of six FBI BAU Profilers and their FBI consultant: David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Tyler Green (Ryan James), Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez), Dr. Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and Jennifer "JJ" Jareau (A.J. Cook). After all the chaos they endured in the first two installments of Criminal Minds: Evolutions, fans can expect the unexpected on and off the screen.
Criminal Minds season 19 begins filming in May
Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) regularly drops surprising updates on her Twitter account, and she did just that for season 19. Good Housekeeping reported the news of Brewster's Criminal Minds: Evolution update, but it wasn't about the upcoming season. Instead of tweeting about Evolution returning for season 18 in May, she tweeted, "I'm doing my physical therapy at home, gunning it to get better for @criminalminds season 19. We start shooting in May!"
Brewster casually dropped this update only six days after the season 18 release date announcement on the Criminal Minds Facebook, which was followed by Variety reporting Criminal Minds: Evolution was renewed for season 19. Much more isn't known about the new seasons other than the release date, an additional season renewal, and a shooting month confirmation. It's enough to satisfy fans until more updates become available or Paget Brewster drops a random tweet.
I’m doing my physical therapy at home, gunning it to get better for @criminalminds season 19. We start shooting in May! pic.twitter.com/EnT2LQbK9e
— paget brewster (@pagetpaget) March 12, 2025
A few days later, she followed up with fans, thanking them for their "support" and assuring them that if she "drops out for a few days, please know I'm just trying to be ready for @criminalminds." She ended the tweet with a "Love you!" to the fans.
Variety reported that season 18 will occur "six months after the events of season 17." The timeline begs the question: Did "the notorious Sicarius Killer, Elias Voit (Gilford)" survive the ending of the last episode? Hopefully, all questions will be answered in the upcoming season streaming on Paramount+ in less than two months. Until then, fans have 334 episodes (17 seasons) to binge-watch as they prepare for Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) to return to solve at least one case alongside his BAU Unit. In the meantime, I'm sure Paget Brewster will let something else slip as the cast gears up to promote season 18 and film season 19.
Crime show fans recently held their breaths as CBS began rolling out show renewals and cancellations left and right in early March. My favorite crime drama remained safe while others were on the chopping block. Between the surprising updates for Criminal Minds: Evolution seasons 18 and 19, CBS canceled many fan-favorite crime dramas, leaving me shocked that Criminal Minds fans received not one but two more seasons.
One notable cancellation was the Shemar Moore-led crime show S.W.A.T., which partly contributed to Moore turning in his FBI credentials at the BAU after eleven seasons as Derek Morgan. It's been a whirlwind of a month for crime show fans as they mourn the loss of three shows and cheer for the two-season renewal of another. Along those lines comes one thought: could we see Derek Morgan again? In his message to CBS and fans on his Instagram, he addresses the "baby girls" of the world, leading us to believe he's hinting at something.
As the speech continues, he's saying farewell to the network that housed his acting career for "31 years" through Young and the Restless, Criminal Minds, and S.W.A.T. Although baby girls everywhere desire at least one scene from Morgan and Garcia, we're thankful actors love their shows as much as the fans. We wouldn't have actors dropping hints on their social media if they didn't. Moore clearly hasn't been the only crime drama actor to take to their socials in recent weeks. Moore's former castmate, Paget Brewster, thankfully dropped a much better announcement on social media.
Criminal Minds season 18 premieres May 8 on Paramount+.