Thaao Penghlis shares airdate and details on his Days of our Lives return

Days of our Lives' Thaao Penghlis opens up about his return to Salem, including which of his DAYS alter egos he'll be playing (Tony? Andre?) and when fans can expect to see him and Leann Hunley (Anna DiMera) back on-screen.

Days of our Lives fans have been awaiting the exciting day when Thaao Penghlis (Tony/Andre DiMera) returns to the canvas alongside Leann Hunley (Anna DiMera), and it looks like the much-anticipated occasion is right around the corner.

Penghlis took to social media to share that his "very provocative" return is set to kick off on Friday, July 26, amidst some very intriguing storyline points.

"What a great evening we shared. Talking about what's coming up in the World of DiMera's this month," the actor wrote along with a photo of himself with Hunley. "I think it a very provocative time. Who comes through that door on the 26th & what riddles we have to overcome..."

News of the pair's return first broke in May, when Penghlis announced that he and Hunley would be back in Salem this July. However, questions remained about whether he'd be reprising the role of Tony DiMera or Andre DiMera -- both of whom are actually presumed dead. And it looks like that question still remains, as Penghlis has made references to both of his former alter egos.

On July 1, he posted a throwback photo of himself with Hunley that teased: "Is there a reunion coming? Anna Tony Andre? What drama lurks these coming weeks? The journeys taken here have there story too. Persistence."

Then, on July 9, he posted a photo of himself with Lauren Koslow (Kate DiMera) along with the caption: "Always a special time when Andre is with Kate. They know a good deal when they see. Have some good scenes coming up, but where does it all go? Magic times."

But then, on July 12, he posted a vintage scene of himself with Hunley along with the caption: "Here comes Tony & Anna, a chemistry that continues today. Oops what does that mean?"

As fans of the show may remember, Andre was presumed dead after Abigail DiMera (Kate Mansi) killed him in self-defense last year. Meanwhile, Tony died in 2009 after an accident on the pier. Viewers saw the initials "AD" on a door in the DiMera warehouse in Nashville, indicating that someone with those initials may have been brought back to life by Dr. Rolf's (William Utay) back-from-the-dead serum (the same magical juice that resurrected Will Horton [Chandler Massey], Jack Deveraux [Matthew Ashford], and E.J. DiMera [James Scott]). Unfortunately, the intriguing clue doesn't give an answer, as "AD" could refer to either Andre DiMera or Antony DiMera, which is Tony's full name.

When Soap Central spoke with Penghlis on the red carpet at this year's Emmy Awards, he gave yet another clue as to who he might be playing when he returns to the canvas later this month. He briefly went into character as Tony DiMera with the tease: "I'm still waiting to return as the head of the family; it was my father's wish. But somehow, other things happened along the way. But I've always been a long-distance runner!"

So many riddles, so much time until Penghlis' July 26 appearance! Will he be Andre? Or will he be Tony? Could he actually be returning as both? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below.

Which character do you think Penghlis will be portraying when he returns to DAYS on July 26? How much are you looking forward to the actor's return to Salem? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.