I said, ‘No’”: Mark Harmon Kicked the Bucket on a Potential Multi-Million Dollar NCIS Deal to Stay True to the Show

After headlining NCIS for almost two decades, the face of the franchise, Mark Harmon, finally called it quits from the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. However, this wasn’t the end for Harmon’s NCIS journey, as prior to returning to NCIS: Origins, which follows a younger Leroy Gibbs, the actor ventured into the realm of writing.

For the unversed, the CBS show was loosely based on the real-life division of NCIS, and with his venture into the realm of writing, Mark Harmon was adamant about penning real-life stories involving this division. But before he joined forces with retired NCIS Special Agent Leon Carroll Jr. to pen a story about a real-life NIS agent that predated their modern-day counterpart, Harmon was initially approached to craft a story around the show.Despite attaining impressive feats in the realm of writing, in 2024, the actor finally opted to return to the IP, but this time, he was more interested in operating from behind the camera. With NCIS: Origins returning for a season 2, per Harmon, it was his son who persuaded him to create a prequel in the first place (via Variety).