Paramount+ has officially renewed "Criminal Minds: Evolution" for a 20th season. The early renewal comes as production is already underway for the upcoming season, which is anticipated to premiere in 2027.
This marks a continuation of the long-running franchise, which previously aired for 15 seasons on CBS before being revived as "Criminal Minds: Evolution" on Paramount+. The streaming series' upcoming season will be its fifth since the revival. Season 19, which concluded on July 23, 2026, consisted of 10 episodes, a standard for the recent Paramount+ seasons.
The "Criminal Minds: Evolution" Season 19 finale, titled "Bad Blood," provided closure on the major storyline involving serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford), also known as Sicarius. Voit was transferred to a high-security federal penitentiary to serve his life sentences. However, the season concluded with a new cliffhanger, introducing a fresh mystery involving unidentified body parts being anonymously delivered to FBI field offices across the country, setting the stage for Season 20.
"Criminal Minds: Evolution" has maintained an annual release schedule since its 2022 debut. Past seasons have premiered in late spring or early summer, with Season 16 running from November 2022 to February 2023, Season 17 from June to August 2024, and Season 18 from May to July 2025. While an official premiere date for Season 20 has not yet been announced, the pattern suggests a similar timeframe in 2027.
The series continues to explore the personal lives of the BAU team members alongside their professional endeavors. "Criminal Minds: Evolution" and the original "Criminal Minds" seasons are available for streaming on Paramount+, which offers two subscription tiers: Essential and Premium. A seven-day free trial is available for the Premium plan.