Share and Follow
Fans of “Bones,” the enduring procedural drama that captivated audiences for 12 seasons on Fox, were left with mixed emotions when the series concluded in 2017. Despite the show’s popularity, the decision to cancel it went against the wishes of its producers. The finale, while satisfying to some degree, left numerous storylines unresolved, sparking hopes for a potential revival. This leaves the door ajar for a possible return to the lives of FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and forensic anthropologist Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel).
The show’s cast has remained receptive to discussing their time on “Bones,” most recently gathering for a 20th-anniversary panel in 2025. These reunions have fueled anticipation among fans eager to see Bones and Booth back on screen. The question lingers: is it mere wishful thinking, or is a 13th season a genuine possibility? Here’s why loyal fans should remain optimistic about a potential comeback.
For those who may have forgotten, the series finale, titled “The End in the End,” saw the team confronting the aftermath of a devastating explosion at the Jeffersonian Institute, their second home. The blast inflicted injuries on Brennan, leading to a temporary cognitive impairment known as agnosia. This setback was particularly distressing for Brennan, given her reputation as a top forensic expert, leaving the team in turmoil.
Determined to resolve the chaos, the team escapes the wreckage and regroups to apprehend Mark Kovac (portrayed by Gerardo Celasco), the mastermind behind the destruction. With assistance from Angela (Michaela Conlin), Cam (Tamara Taylor), and Hodgins (T.J. Thyne), Booth discovers that Kovac’s sister, Jeannine (Brit Shaw), is also complicit. In a tense confrontation, Jeannine confesses to orchestrating the bombing and murdering Brennan’s father, Max (Ryan O’Neal). Her admission leads to a final showdown with Kovac, which ends in his defeat.
The series finale left the door open for a revival
As Brennan begins to recover from her condition, the team prepares to rebuild their lab and move forward with their lives. Cam reveals her plans to adopt with Arastoo (Pej Vahdat), Karen (Sara Rue) and Aubrey (John Boyd) strike up a new romance, and Hodgins and Angela eagerly await the arrival of their child. While the finale delivered a sense of closure, it left viewers with numerous questions about the characters’ futures, keeping the hope of a revival alive.
They work together to get out of the ruined complex, then regroup to figure out how to bring in Mark Kovac (Gerardo Celasco), the man behind their woes. With the help of Angela (Michaela Conlin), Cam (Tamara Taylor), and Hodgins (T.J. Thyne), Booth realizes that Kovac has an accomplice — his sister, Jeannine (Brit Shaw). During an interview, Jeannine admits she was the one who blew up the Jeffersonian and that she also killed Brennan’s father, Max (Ryan O’Neal). After speaking to Jeannine, they track down Mark and a showdown takes place — one that Kovac ultimately loses.
Bones’ agnosia begins to go away, and she and her friends pack up so that the lab can be fixed. The crew begins to move on with their lives; Cam announces that she and Arastoo (Pej Vahdat) are adopting; Karen (Sara Rue) and Aubrey (John Boyd) begin to flirt in the wake of Aubrey’s decision to take a promotion that will keep him in DC; Hodgins and Angela anticipate the birth of their baby. It’s a cozy watch, but fans still have some big complaints about the series finale. More importantly, it’s a conclusion that leaves every character’s ultimate fate completely open.
David Boreanaz thinks a revival would be easy
In the past, David Boreanaz has been dismissive about the idea of reprising his “Bones” role. In 2019, he told Parade that he’s “not much of a reunion guy,” and when Emily Deschanel spoke with TVLine about a possible “Bones” movie that same year, she said: “I know David said he wouldn’t, because he doesn’t like to go backwards.” Of course, a lot of time has passed since then, and it appears as though Boreanaz’s stance on a comeback may have softened somewhat.
When he sat down with Variety in 2024, Boreanaz admitted that he would “consider” coming back for a “Bones” revival and even shared some ideas about what could have happened to his character in the meantime: “I think Booth is not really active and retired, and has to be drawn back into a case, to solve something that happened on the grounds of the FBI.” However, he also said that it’s “not something that I’m focused on right now,” a message he repeated during an interview with Parade in January 2025.
Speaking to Woman’s World at the Televerse Festival in August 2025, the actor admitted that it would be interesting to see Bones and Booth operating in today’s climate. “Of all the shows, I think ‘Bones’ is one you can just kind of drop into and have fun with all of us,” he said during the show’s special 20th anniversary panel. “What would be really fantastic about it is to see all of us in today’s environment — the political environment, social environment, the mental health environment — and see all of our perspectives and how funny that would be.” It sounds like he’s not pushing for a revival, but he clearly hasn’t closed the door on one.
Emily Deschanel is still involved in the world of Bones
Emily Deschanel has stayed a part of the “Bones” world by co-hosting the watchalong podcast “Boneheads” with Carla Gallo, who played Daisy Wick on the show. When asked about a potential “Bones” revival by CBR in 2025, both Gallo and Deschanel were excited about the prospect. “Everyone misses it,” Gallo said. “I’m like, ‘Why are we not bringing this gang back together?’” As for Deschanel, she added: “People talk about potentially rebooting the show in some way. It is the 20th anniversary this year, so it’d be fun to do something for that, but I don’t know. I’m not in charge of such things, but I’d be down for it.”
Unlike Boreanaz, Deschanel doesn’t have an issue with revisiting old characters. “I don’t have a hard-and-fast rule on that, so we’ll see,” she told TVLine. It seems pretty clear that both Deschanel and Gallo are on board for a revival, and they’re not the only ones — Gallo asked T.J. Thyne about it, and he confirmed that he’s keen to play Jack Hodgins again. “I was like, ‘Okay, T.J., would you do a reboot? And he was like, ‘Yeah, I would.’ It’s definitely been coming up. I’m over-eager. I’m like, ‘When is this? When are we doing this? When are we getting this going?’ We have such affection.”
A revival could be complicated by the rights situation
Chad Buchanan/Getty Images
“Bones” creator Hart Hanson has said that he could see a “Bones” revival happening if both Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz (who had a great working relationship on the show) were to sign up for it. However, he’s made it clear that a new season would be tricky because of all the corporate changes that have happened since the series came to a close in 2017. “It’s complicated now because Fox broadcast ‘Bones,’ but Disney now bought [Fox],” he told Variety. “It would take a million agents and lawyers to figure out who owns what and what platform it would show on. But we do keep talking. And every once in a while, we are all nostalgic enough to think, ‘Maybe we should do it again.’”
Hanson appeared to issue a rallying cry to Disney when he appeared on the “Bones” 20th anniversary panel at Televerse in 2025. According to the showrunner, a revival is only likely to happen if the House of Mouse pushes hard for it. “In the end, everyone [invested in the series] is going to want a chunk of the money,” he said (via Bleeding Cool). “So doing that could be massively expensive or [we might] just not get all the permissions. It’s complicated. What we need is someone — probably at Disney, who owns most of everything — to go, ‘We have to have it.’” The ball is very much in Disney’s court. If it decides to play ball, “Bones” Season 13 could become a reality.