Christopher Lloyd has found his next role, as the veteran actor has been cast for a guest role in an upcoming episode of the crime drama series NCIS. Famously known for his role as Emmett "Doc" Brown in Back to the Future among many, many other memorable performances in movies and television shows, Lloyd always has the ability to improve any given project with his unique portrayals. Lately, he's continued to appear in new roles on television, including guest spots on shows like 12 Monkeys and the Roseanne revival. It will be interesting to see him tackle NCIS next, as it sounds like Lloyd's character might even be the episode's featured murderer.

Reportedly, the 81-year-old actor will be playing Joe Smith, a 95-year old former Navy sailor who was serving on the USS Arizona during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. Knowing he's approaching the end of his life, Joe is determined to have his ashes laid to rest with his fellow sailors when he dies. Described as a "sharp, spry and unapologetic curmudgeon," Joe "becomes the focus of an investigation and confounds Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and the entire team, who are not sure if they can believe him." Seems like Joe might be the key to solving a crime, if not outright being personally responsible.

NCIS follows the crime-solving adventures of the special agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Major Case Response Team. Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, the series stars Mark Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo, Emily Wickersham, Jennifer Esposito, and Wilmer Valderrama. A JAG spin-off, NCIS first began airing back in 2003 and is approaching its 400th episode in the midst of its seventeenth season. It's not yet clear exactly when the episode featuring Lloyd as former sailor Joe Smith will be premiering.

Before becoming Doc Brown in the Back to the Future movies, Christopher Lloyd had made a name for himself on television when he appeared on the classic comedy series Taxi. For his hilarious portrayal of Rev. Jim Ignatowski, Lloyd managed to win two Primetime Emmy Awards. He'd later earn another in 1992 based on his iconic performance in the Canadian television series Road to Avonlea. For voicing the Hacker in the animated children's series Cyberchase, Lloyd has also more recently racked up an additional two Emmy nominations. Needless to say, though Lloyd has clearly found great success on the big screen, he's proven himself to be a phenomenal actor on the small screen as well.

This week, Lloyd also reunited with Back to the Future co-star Michael J. Fox at a Poker Night charity event for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. It's been made very clear by the creators that we'll never see the pair starring in another Back to the Future sequel, but it's certainly always nice to see them reuniting at events such as these over the years. Watch for Lloyd to appear on NCIS this spring. This news comes to us from TVLine.