'Criminal Minds: Evolution' Season 19 Release Date & 'Heated Rivalry' Guest Revealed

Paramount+

If you’ve been waiting for the BAU to get back to work, well, I've got great news for you: Criminal Minds: Evolution is officially returning — and the first look clip teases a chilling connection to the past. But you know what we really need to talk about? The fact that our beloved internet boyfriend, Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie, is joining the cast.

Fresh off his SNL hosting gig and, hello, his breakout role in the queer hockey romance that left us all in a f*cking puddle, Storrie has been tapped to guest star in Criminal Minds’ upcoming 19th season. Not surprisingly, details about his character are still under wraps, but considering the show’s track record, we know a few things: “guest star” could mean anything from victim to super-villain, and if all goes well, his “guest” status could easily be upgraded to series regular (a la Zach Gilford’s Elias Voit).

With all that in mind, let’s dive into the details we do have about the next installment of this fan-favorite reboot.

When does Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 premiere?

The show officially comes back to our screens on May 28, 2026, and that’s not the only treat Paramount+ has in store for fans. In addition to clueing us into when we can park our butts on the couch to catch the BAU’s return, Paramount+ revealed that they’ve renewed the series for a milestone Season 20, set to arrive in 2027.

So, who’s back?

The core team is returning (as it should be!), including:

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

Storrie isn’t the only notable addition this season, either. The guest lineup looks incredible, with appearances from:

• Justin Kirk (Angels in America)
• Yvette Nicole Brown (Community)
• Clark Gregg (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
• Paul F. Tompkins (Bojack Horseman)
• Cress Williams (Black Lightning)
• Kofi Siriboe (Queen Sugar)
• Lyndon Smith (Step Sisters)
• Richard Cabral (Mayans)
• Jeri Ryan (Star Trek Voyager)
• Rob Yang (The Menu)
• Nicholas Gonzalez (The Good Doctor)
• Inny Clemons (Judging Amy)
• Nicole Pacent (Westworld)
• Dash Mihok (Ray Donovan)
• Joseph Cross (Big Little Lies)
• Cara Jade Myers (Killers of the Flower Moon)

And maybe more? What fans would kill (heh) to see are cameos from Matthew Gray Gubler and Shemar Moore, who played OG characters Dr. Spencer Reid and Derek Morgan.

Is there a first look yet?

Oh, there is… and it’s already hinting at a(nother) unnerving case.

In the newly released teaser clip, the BAU can be seen cueing up the investigation of a missing young man whose crime scene bears an eerie resemblance to a cold case from three decades prior. Which, if you know this show, means we’re in for lots o’ twists and turns.

Season 18 left off with the fallout from Elias Voit’s network of followers, almost guaranteeing a continued complicated relationship between the serial killer and the BAU. Has he really changed? Is it all an elaborate ruse? Will the BAU lean on him as a resource even more? Showrunner Erica Messer has already confirmed that Voit will appear in every episode of Season 19, so it’ll be interesting to see how his story unfolds.

Regardless, for longtime fans, this revival (which returned to us in 2022 under the new Evolution banner) has proven the series still has plenty of life left in it. And with Season 20 already confirmed ~and~ a cameo from one of our favorite Heated Rivalry stars?

Respectfully, we will be sat.

source https://www.scarymommy.com/entertainment/criminal-minds-evolution-season-19-release-date-cast-updates