Zach Gilford’s departure from Criminal Minds surprised many, leading to speculation about his possible return.
“Erica Messer [showrunner] and I have discussed a spinoff,” Gilford, 44, shared exclusively with Us. “I’d love to create a spinoff, but it’s challenging due to the joint ownership by Disney and Paramount. Convincing them is tough.”
Gilford is open to revisiting his role as the complex serial killer Elias Voit, who transitioned from committing heinous acts to assisting the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.
“The challenge is persuading them to produce it, as neither studio wants to relinquish rights or share ownership,” he explained. “I doubt it will happen, but it’s a dream. Maybe we can start an online campaign or something similar.”
Having portrayed Voit for four seasons since 2022, Gilford wasn’t ready to part ways.
“We can both hope [my character Voit will return] but all I know is I’m not there filming right now,” he commented regarding a potential return for season 20 of Criminal Minds: Evolution. “It was hard to say goodbye. It definitely was one of my favorite characters I’ve ever gotten to play and partially because what a gift.”
He explained, “Each season allowed me to explore different facets of this character. It wasn’t repetitive.”
For Gilford, Criminal Minds offered the ideal challenge, remarking, “Giving this character a chance for redemption and ending on a positive note was satisfying. It’s unusual; often you end a show uncertain about the future. Here, I knew it was concluding.”
Gilford admitted to Us that parting with Criminal Minds was difficult.
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“It was disappointing, and I’m not great with emotions,” he confessed. “Before the final wrap, sensing it might be the last take, I left without saying goodbye. People were asking, ‘Zach, where are you?’ Some saw me driving away, and I just waved goodbye.”
Though the season finale of Criminal Minds on July 23 hinted at Voit’s departure, it left room for a return. Meanwhile, Gilford remains busy with new projects.
“I’ve been working consistently since leaving the show. I’ve had some quality time with my kids, which is always wonderful. I also did a Christmas romcom, which was delightful,” he shared. “It was refreshing to do something light and fun, followed by an Evil Dead movie, which was quite the opposite.”
Criminal Minds is available for streaming on Paramount+.
