The reason why Matthew Gray Gubler will not be returning to Criminal Minds revealed
Criminal Minds was one of the most-watched drama series in the world before it ended after 15 seasons in 2020 - and now it's set to return to screens once again with a brand new revival series on Paramount+.
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However, fans will be disheartened to hear that while many of the original cast members have confirmed that they are returning, Matthew Gray Gubler is not among them. So why is he not taking part in the show? Find out here…
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The actor, who played fan favorite Dr Spencer Reid in almost every single one of the mystery crime drama's 324 episodes, has yet to speak out about the project, and so it is unclear why he wasn't unable to take part in the revival.
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However, his lack of involvement could very much be due to scheduling conflicts. Up until earlier this year, Matthew was a cast member on the comedy series Dollface which got a surprise cancellation after two seasons back in May. Had the show not been cancelled, Matthew may have considered himself too busy to appear on both and so turned down the opportunity to return to Criminal Minds.
Many of the original cast members have confirmed that they will appear in the revival
Although according to his IMDb page, he isn't currently working on any new shows or movies, that doesn't necessarily mean that he doesn't have other projects on the horizon that may have also factored into his decision.
Fans are certainly disappointed by the news and have been sharing their thoughts on a Spencer-less reunion on Twitter. One said: "Didn't know they were even reviving Criminal Minds but what's the point without Reid?!?" while another complained: "It's not Criminal Minds without Matthew Gray Gubler."
Matthew has yet to speak out on his decision not to return to the series
Matthew isn't the only cast member not returning to BAU; Daniel Henney, who played Matt Simmons in the final few seasons of the show, has also not signed a contract to appear in the upcoming ten-episode revival series.
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Those confirmed to appear include Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler and Paget Brewster, and long-time showrunner Erica Messer is also on board.
Joe, who will be returning as FBI Agent David Ross, teased a first look at the show on Tuesday with a picture of himself on a partially built set. "Just doing a little inspection today for an upcoming project. #criminalminds," he wrote.
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