Fans of the NCIS franchise are going to be in for a treat when all three shows cross over for one major event for the first time ever. Hawai’i star Vanessa Lachey recently discussed what she thinks fans will love most about the crossover, and LA’s LL Cool J has now explained that the crossover feels like a Marvel event. But how so?
A three-show crossover in the NCIS franchise has been a long time coming. While the flagship series has done a couple of events with Hawai’i already, fans have been itching for a bigger one that features the Los Angeles crew. They’re getting more than they bargained for with all three series coming together apparently, as LL Cool J told EW that it'll mirror a Marvel Cinematic Universe production. The veteran star chocks this up to the sheer amount of characters and personalities involved:
It felt like we've been doing that for years together, not as separate groups. That's pretty special. There'll be action. There'll be thrills. There'll be rollercoaster rides. All of the chills and the fun and the craziness that they are used to, but seeing how the personalities interact — it's like how Batman and Superman interact, or in the Marvel Universe, how all the different superheroes interact. Seeing these characters from the NCIS-verse come together and the way they communicate and connect is going to be interesting, and I think fans will be excited about that.
Whenever TV or movie franchises cross pollinate, it’s always interesting to see how characters interact with each other as well as what kind of pairings result from that. While NCIS may not have superheroes, fans have arguably been anticipating it as enthusiastically as MCU devotees awaited the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. I'm honestly psyched to see what the producers have planned for CBS' interconnected law enforcement universe.
It's fair to assume that the casts of the NCIS shows will have strong chemistry, as they have gotten together in previous months, albeit off-screen. For instance, LL Cool J and Sean Murray reunited for a photo, which arguably got fans even more hyped for an event involving the flagship show and LA. R. Scott Gemmill previously discussed how tricky a crossover would be, but especially since the shows all film in different locations. But it’s great that producers were able to get past those hurdles and make a three-way special possible.
Meanwhile, it’ll be intriguing to see whether this TV event will open the door to more in the future. It doesn’t have to be a three-way crossover, either, or an actual crossover. The NCIS universe is always expanding, and the writers are still coming up with new surprises and storylines in order to keep things fresh. So who knows, maybe more exciting developments are still to come -- including some that even rival the productions that Marvel Studios creates.
The NCIS event was initially set to air on January 2 before getting slightly delayed, but it's still not far off. The highly-anticipated crossover will premiere on Monday, January 9 beginning at 8 p.m. EST on CBS! Those with Paramount+ subscriptions will be able to watch the next day. Also, check out CinemaBlend's 2023 TV schedule for info on other programs that are premiering in the new year.
