Criminal Minds Season 18: Possible release, plot, cast, and everything we know so far

Criminal Minds Season 18 was renewed on June 5 2024 by Paramount+ and could premiere by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

The show has been drawing in audiences for almost 20 years. It originally aired on CBS and made a comeback as Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+, picking up right where the thrilling stories of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) left off.

After the nail-biting finale of Season 17 that had everyone wondering what happened to Elias Voit, the next season is set to explore the mind games of crime and the personal challenges faced by the BAU team.

The original cast is back, including favorites like Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, and Paget Brewster, as the BAU dives into challenges and unresolved storylines.

Criminal Minds Season 18 potential release date

Criminal Minds Season 18 is likely to premiere in late 2024 or early 2025 (Image via Paramount+)

Criminal Minds: Evolution's filming may kick off in late August 2024, as mentioned. There isn't a specific premiere date yet, but looking at past seasons, we might have new episodes as soon as late November or December 2024 to early 2025. The next season could have 10 episodes like the previous ones.

The cast of Criminal Minds Season 18 and the characters they play

Joe Mantegna, Adam Rodriguez, and Daniel Henney (Image via Paramount+)

The main cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 includes:

Joe Mantegna as David Rossi
A.J. Cook as JJ Jareau
Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia
Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis
Zach Gilford as Elias Voit
Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green
Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez
Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss

Mantegna, Cook, Vangsness, and Brewster have been with the main cast since the original Criminal Minds. Tyler, Rodriguez, and Hatanaka came on board for the revival, of Criminal Minds: Evolution, and Gilford, who was a recurring character in Season 17, has now been bumped up to a regular.

What is the expected plot and storyline of Criminal Minds Season 18?

Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Adam Rodriguez, Aisha Tyler, and Kirsten Vangsness in Criminal Minds (Image via Paramount+)

Criminal Minds Season 18 is set to bring back all the suspense viewers love, diving into the mind games of criminals and the personal challenges the BAU team faces.

After the intense cliffhanger in Season 17 with Elias Voit, played by Zach Gilford, in a tough spot, this new season will probably explore how he stirs up trouble from behind bars, especially for David Rossi.

Even though things look grim right now, Messer has assured fans see him in Season 18. Voit's survival means he'll keep messing with the BAU, especially David Rossi, who's been dealing with some hallucinations of the killer.

Showrunner Erica Messer in an interview with The Wrap said:

"We thought we were going to be done creatively with Elias Voit at the end of the first season, sure. And then we weren’t. Then we thought the end of this season we’d be done with him, and it turns out we’re not."

As Rossi deals with the fallout from Voit's actions, the story will go into how other characters feel. Emily Prentiss will have to face her past struggles, and JJ Jareau and Dr. Tara Lewis will be put through challenges that test their grit.

Where to watch Criminal Minds?

According to sources, Paramount+ planned to renew Criminal Minds Season 18 on June 5 2024, but the show is yet to receive a premiere date. Viewers can catch all its previous seasons including Criminal Minds: Evolution streaming on Paramount+.

Paramount+ has two subscription options: Paramount+ Essential for $7.99 a month and Paramount+ with Showtime for $12.99 a month.