David Boreanaz & Emily Deschanel Confirm Whether They'd Return For More Bones

"Bones" had a truly impressive run during its time on-air. Debuting on Fox back in 2005, Hart Hanson's procedural dramedy quickly became a hit, thanks in large part to stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanez, who played forensic anthropologist Temperance "Bones" Brennan and FBI agent Seeley Booth respectively. The duo managed to carry the show's balance between truly grim subject matter and its more lighthearted elements in a way that kept the series running for a full 12 seasons. Unfortunately, Fox finally canceled "Bones" in 2017 after 246 episodes.

Since then, fans of the series have had to make do with re-watching the episodes that did air (short-lived spin-off "The Finder" just couldn't match the charm or the success of its precursor). But with almost 250 episodes to revisit, there's not exactly a paucity of "Bones" out there. Still, with the show now having been off the air for seven years, enough time has passed that fans would surely welcome more Bones and Booth adventures — and considering how the show's popularity has endured, such a proposition might not be all that absurd.

We're in a time where broadcast shows are finding new life on streaming services. "Suits" went off the air in 2019, only to become such a big hit on Netflix that a new show set in the "Suits" universe was commissioned in 2023. As such, there's every chance Deschanel and Boreanez could return to our screens in the streaming age. But without the two stars agreeing to return, such a thing would never get off the ground. Thankfully, it seems both actors are open to reprising their roles.

Last year, Hart Hanson hinted that a "Bones" reboot could happen, though Disney's 2019 acquisition of Fox has made things complicated in that regard. At the time, the show creator seemed to suggest that Emily Deschanel and David Boreanez would be open to such an idea, telling Variety, "Everybody on 'Bones' is in contact with each other. At separate times, it's like, 'What are you doing? What's the availability?'" It wasn't exactly confirmation that the show would return, but it all seemed positive.

Now, the stars themselves have spoken on the subject. In an August 2024 interview with Collider, Boreanaz seemed positively excited about once again playing Agent Booth, noting that "you really could do anything with it." He told the outlet:

"That's definitely a show that I feel is an easier thing to revisit, if I did, and something that would be fun if it's a small little hit run, or something. That's something I would never decline to take on because it would be fun to see where Booth is and where Temperance Brennan is, and those other characters, especially their relationship and how it's evolved over the years. How is their daughter? What is Booth doing? What is she doing? Is she exploring the caves in some remote area of the world? It would be funny."

If that wasn't enough to convince you, Boreanez also spoke to TV Insider about his connection with Deschanel, saying "I hold that so near and dear, and it would be great to relive that again." So, what about his co-star? Well, happily, she seems almost as enthusiastic about the idea.

Soon after David Boreanez expressed his willingness to return for a "Bones" revival, his co-star spoke on the subject. More specifically, Emily Deschanel was asked for her thoughts on Boreanez's comments and told Collider:

"I saw that, and I was surprised that he said that he'd be open to it because he's always said he's not open to it. I never really thought that would happen, just because he wouldn't be interested."

That might not seem quite as enthusiastic as her former colleague's reaction to the idea of "Bones" returning. Thankfully, the actor went on to say, "I mean, sure, I'm open to things. I don't know if that makes sense, but I never say never." 

So, it seems Hart Hanson was right about all the pieces being in-place. Now, the only thing to navigate is that tricky Disney/Fox business. As the show creator previously told Variety, "It would take a million agents and lawyers to figure out who owns what and what platform it would show on." On the plus-side, before Fox was subsumed by the Mouse, the company did settle a profit participation lawsuit involving Deschanel, Boreanaz, executive producer Barry Josephson, and author Kathy Reichs which had been ongoing since 2015. So, if Disney really wanted to exhume "Bones," it could not only do so without worrying about any lingering legal issues, it seems it would have the support of all the major players. Someone tell Bob Iger to call the lawyers.