Three years after NCIS: Los Angeles ended, Sam Hanna is officially back on the job in a big way. While LL Cool J had a recurring guest spot on NCIS: Hawai’i and appeared in a couple of recent episodes of NCIS, his fan-favorite character is returning full-time for the new spinoff, NCIS: New York. The hype is building for the new show, which is premiering this fall on the 2026 TV schedule, and if you want a sneak peek, we’ve got you covered.
CBS announced NCIS: New York in April, and LL Cool J wasn’t the only surprise casting. Hawaii Five-0’s Scott Caan is starring alongside the rapper, so the hype for this show is understandably real. Now, the ball has finally started rolling on the series, with production starting up in New York City. Pictures from set have gotten out, and since there aren’t any formal trailers yet, this is the first look we’ve gotten at LL Cool J and Caan in New York, and I love it already:
It should be pointed out that despite NCIS: LA’s crossover with Hawaii Five-0, Caan is not reprising his role as Detective Danny “Danno” Williams for NCIS: New York. He is playing a completely new character, Sam’s roguish partner, NCIS Special Agent Nick Schaeffer. It is going to be hard to get used to, but just seeing the duo together, I can tell this is going to be a special partnership. Of course, none of Sam’s partners can replace Callen (Chris O’Donnell), but I’m excited for what they could bring. It's just good to see Sam Hanna back on a full-time basis.
Here's the full cast lineup of regulars, including the most familiar faces.
- LL Cool J as Sam Hanna
- Scott Caan as NCIS Special Agent Nick Schaeffer
- Jennifer Beals as NCIS Director Robyn Wells
- Jacqueline Byers as NCIS Special Agent Addison “Addy” Ross
- Shane Harper as NCIS Special Agent Wyatt Hill
- Devin Druid as NCIS tech specialist Sean Sullivan
Another new photo shows LL Cool J, Caan, Harper, and Byers on set together and wearing the NCIS vests that are all too familiar to viewers now:
Even though CBS had announced that a new NCIS spinoff was on the way, it was still hard to believe since there was no warning whatsoever, and I was still mourning over NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s cancellation. Seeing the cast on set and filming definitely makes it all the more real, and this has certainly made me even more stoked.
As of now, CBS has not revealed premiere dates for the fall TV schedule, but it shouldn’t be too much longer now, especially as more shows start filming. These NCIS: New York set photos will have to do for now, but the wait will certainly be worth it. In the meantime, fans can always watch most of the NCIS franchise with a Paramount+ subscription to prepare for the newest iteration. NCIS: New York will be coming this fall to CBS.
