Criminal Minds is about to be come a franchise with another high profile star headlining its cast.
Michael Ausiello broke the news that Oscar winner Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland") is in final talks to headline the Criminal Minds spin-off, which will be introduced in a "planted spinoff" episode of the flagship show this spring, ala NCIS/NCIS:LA and the there CSI spinoffs.
Whitaker, if talks are successful, will play Cooper, the leader of the new team of FBI Behavioral Analysts Unit profilers. Cooper is considered a legend in his field and is seen as "dynamic, mysterious, and charming." He has been on a sort of eight year sabbatical (off the radar) from the Bureau with nothing but rumors of his whereabouts and actions covering his tracks.
CBS has not confirmed this casting as of yet.
If negotiations pan out, then Whitaker would be returning to TV after his turn as Jon Kavanaugh, the thorn in Vic Mackey's side, in the FX hit The Shield.
Sources: THR, TV Guide, Michael Ausiello
