Why John Francis Daley Left Bones, Explained

There's never been a death in the history of the 12-season run of "Bones" that hit harder than that of Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley). Coming during Season 10's "The Conspiracy in the Corpse," it hits the team when they're at a crisis point. Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) is in prison on suspicion of multiple homicides, all tied to a blackmail scheme targeting various Washington officials. While Booth's name is cleared before the episode ends, he refuses to let the dangling thread of the unsolved conspiracy go. Sweets is the first member of the team to be put in danger, and he dies of massive internal trauma after being beaten by some thugs in a parking garage.

But what was the real reason for killing Sweets off so suddenly? It seems Daley had a burgeoning career as a writer, director, and producer that kept him too busy to make more onscreen appearances as his alter ego.  Though he got his start in the business as a child star, becoming famous for acting in "Freaks and Geeks" and other TV shows and films before growing into adult roles, Daley also segued into other areas of the industry. While he's never quit acting entirely — he voiced a creature in 2023's "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" and, post-"Bones," has appeared in "Game Night" and projects — he's had a whole lot more on his plate.

After wrapping on "Bones" back in 2014, John Francis Daley has become a quadruple threat with a lot of Hollywood successes under his belt. With longtime creative partner Jonathan Goldstein, Daley co-directed "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" as well as "Game Night" and "Vacation." The pair have also branched out into television and have directed episodes of the upcoming series "Hysteria!," which they've also executive produced.

On the writing side of the docket, Daley and Goldstein wrote "Horrible Bosses" and provided the story for its sequel, while also penning both "Vacation Friends" films. They also wrote the screenplays for "Dungeons and Dragons," got story credit for "The Flash," and collaborated on "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Daley started sharpening his pencil in the writer's room for "Bones," scripting Season 6's "The Truth in Myth." As a producer, Daley has had a hand in "Stuber," "Dungeons and Dragons" and the TV series "In The Dark." 

Who's his filmmaking idol? Iconic 1980s writer-director John Hughes. "[Hughes] is ingrained a little bit in my DNA," Daley told The Chicago Tribune in 2019. "[He] was really able to create these relatable premises and characters, and even when (his films) become far-fetched, you still see a piece of yourself in almost all of them. Which is something that we try to do ourselves through our own work." Time will tell if he makes a piece of art that's held in high esteem just like Hughes' many films, but Daley seems to be well on his way.