Criminal Minds Spin Off

[tammyy2j]

Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is nearing a deal to headline CBS’ in-the-works spin-off of Criminal Minds.

Whitaker would play Cooper, the new team’s fiercely loyal and intensely private leader. A former star profiler in the BAU, Coop’s been off the grid for the last eight years — leaving only a trail of rumors in his wake.

Minds 2.0 will follow the NCIS/NCIS: LA model in that the new team will be introduced in an episode of Minds this spring before being launched into their own show next fall. Seasoned industry professionals refer to it as a “planted” spin-off.

This is Whitaker’s first regular TV gig since his mesmerizing turn as Michael Chiklis’ arch-nemesis, Jon Kavanaugh, on The Shield.

[tammyy2j]

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.

That's the official name of the buzzed-about Criminal Minds spin-off starring Forest Whitaker, which, according to this Cm tweet, has received a 13-episode order from CBS. Various sources have confirmed the name of the offshoot, which means it will not be called Minds 2.0 as previously speculated.

[lizann]

Janeane Garofalo, last seen helping out Jack Bauer on 24, is in talks to join the cast of CBS' Criminal Minds spin-off, a rep for the actress confirms.

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, the mid-season entry from executive producer Chris Mundy, stars Forest Whitaker as the team leader of an FBI behavioral analysis unit.

The news was first reported by Entertainment Weekly.