A new image seemingly confirms Spencer Reid’s exit from the Criminal Minds reboot. The BAU’s return on the small screen is slowly inching closer after Paramount+ officially ordered a 10-episode season of the revived show. Criminal Minds originally ran for 15 years on CBS until finally ending in 2020 with a shorter season.Proof of the police procedural’s enduring popularity over the years is its immediate transition to a streaming platform. Just a year after the Criminal Minds season 15 finale, Paramount+ ordered the revival. While there were some hiccups in getting the project off the ground, it is finally moving forward with filming for the Criminal Minds revival now in full swing. When the BAU tackles its next mission, however, it will be missing a key part of the FBI cell, with Matthew Gray Gubler not set to return. Despite comments from the cast confirming Gubler’s exit, some fans were still holding out hope that Reid may eventually pop in to join his old cell in the new Criminal Minds.Related: Criminal Minds Reboot’s Reason For Not Having Reid Is A LieUnfortunately, a new image re-affirms the fact that Gubler won’t be in Criminal Minds season 16. While production for the show is now ongoing, the actor was spotted in New Orleans by a fan, Portia Walker, away from the reboot’s filming location. Walker documented their interaction on Twitter, sharing a photo of herself with a very happy looking Gubler. Check out the image below:
Aside from Prentiss, Joe Mantegna also confirmed that filming for the Criminal Minds reboot is ongoing. In additon to this new photo, recent trailers spotlighting all returning core cast members appeared to confirm that both Gubler and Daniel Henney, who plays SSA Matt Simmons, won’t be back to join the BAU. The difference is that Henney’s absence from Criminal Minds season 16 is due to a scheduling conflict. The actor is currently busy with Amazon’s Wheel of Time. Meanwhile, Gubler seems to have chosen to sit out the Paramount+ project. The actor has said he wants to pursue other things after playing Spencer Reid for 15 years straight, which is understandable.
Though Gubler isn’t currently part of the Criminal Minds reboot, this doesn’t mean that he won’t return in some capacity in the future. Depending on how things pan out in the new season, Paramount+ may already be planning a guest stint for the character. This would allow Reid to be part of the show while also having enough time to pursue other endeavors. In any case, Gubler has nothing but great things to say about his experience in the show, increasing the chances of Reid’s cameo in the Criminal Minds reboot.
