Elias is behind bars in first look at ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2

A very angry Elias Voit returns in season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Zach Gilford‘s big bad, who was apprehended by the BAU last season after forming a network of serial killers during the COVID-19 pandemic, is behind bars in Entertainment Weekly‘s exclusive first look at the upcoming season, premiering with two episodes on June 6 on Paramount+.

The new season will see Elias negotiate a deal that transfers him back to federal custody in the BAU’s backyard. Elsewhere, the investigation into the mysterious Gold Star continues, all while the team “faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences,” per Paramount+.

Ryan-James Hatanaka is also set to return as vigilante and former military intelligence officer Tyler Green, who formed a connection with Kirsten Vangsness’ Penelope in the first season of the revival. Both he and Gilford have been tapped for series regular roles. Joining them is franchise newcomer Felicity Huffman as Dr. Jill Gideon, a biological psychiatrist and ex-wife of Mandy Patinkin‘s late Jason Gideon.

Showrunner Erica Messer confirmed the return of Elias and Tyler in conversation with EW following the season 1 finale in 2023, calling Gilford’s villain the season’s Hannibal Lecter and teasing the role he’ll play in unraveling Gold Star, a phrase that had the FBI quaking in their boots.

“Gold Star obviously has a power behind it because it was something that got Bailey’s attention and then ultimately got Bailey killed,” Messer said. “Voit is going to use it to negotiate his way to a lesser sentence… when things come up regarding Gold Star is when we have to go get his help. We don’t want to because we did just fine without that guy, but he holds answers to something unique. So he is involved in a way that we weren’t expecting.”

EW has more first-look photos of the upcoming season below.

The new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution returns June 6 on Paramount+, followed by new episodes on Thursdays. 

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