There is no official confirmation that Cote de Pablo is coming back as Ziva David in NCIS season 18. But, the character returned for four episodes in the previous installment and her appearance opened potential new stories with other established cast members.
The creative team is interested in telling more stories about Ziva, particularly her reunion with Tony. But, beyond that, she could also team up with other characters if ever she returns in NCIS season 18. For instance, a story about her and Odette could be set up moving forward.
Ziva trusted Odette, who kept the secret about de Pablo's character being alive. It's apparent that there is something more between them and this could be further explored if Ziva comes back in the upcoming installment. Their story could be addressed in certain ways and we could learn more about them.
The series could bring flashbacks of Ziva and Odette's past adventures or some of the moments that they've shared. Through this, we could understand why Ziva is willing to trust Odette so much. The two had a history, something that wasn't featured in the series.
Also, de Pablo's character could return in NCIS season 18 if something bad happens to Odette. She might be called upon to help her friend, who is in danger. Since everyone knows that she is alive, it opens the door to telling more stories.
While nothing is certain when it comes to Ziva's return, the creative team isn't ruling out a potential Ziva-Tony reunion. The two could appear again at some point in the series and it could explore what happened to them over the past years.
But, one of the major problems in this reunion is the scheduling. The schedule of the cast and the series may not align, given that Michael Weatherly is doing another show, Bull. Still, the Ziva-Tony reunion is on the table and it's just a matter of how and when.
Meanwhile, NCIS season 18 official release date remains unknown until now. While a fall premiere is possible, the major challenge here is the health crisis in California. Filming depends on the current situation; it could start again when things get a little bit better.
CBS usually releases new episodes in September and the series will run until May, with some breaks in between. This pattern, however, will not be followed this time as the show has been off-air since April. Thus, we could expect NCIS season 18 arriving later this year or in early 2021.
