Christopher Meloni is coming back to the Law & Order franchise!
Meloni is set to reprise his Law & Order: SVU role as Elliot Stabler in a new Dick Wolf crime drama series. The Law & Order: SVU spinoff, which has already received a 13-episode series order from NBC, centers on an NYPD organized crime unit led by Stabler.
Executive produced by Wolf, Arthur W. Forney and Peter Jankowski for Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television — a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, the yet-to-be-titled series is the first project to come out of the nine-figure deal that Wolf signed with Universal Television in February. The said deal spans five years and multiple platforms, and includes multiple series commitments. Matt Olmstead, who previously served as showrunner of Chicago P.D., is reportedly being eyed to write and run the new series.
Meloni served as the male lead opposite Marista Hargitay for the first 12 seasons of Law & Order: SVU. Menloni’s Stabler and Hargitay’s Olivia Benson were best friends and partners until the former retired from the police force in Season 12. But since both shows are set in New York, there’s a great chance that a crossover of sorts will reunite the dynamic duo.
As expected, longtime Law & Order: SVU fans are excited about Meloni’s return to the franchise, with many of them taking to Twitter to express their delight about the news.
Yass Elliot stabler aka Zaddy Christopher Meloni is coming back to Law & Order universe pic.twitter.com/dZHhr4LXcx
— ? (@GorqousAlly) March 31, 2020
OMG: Christopher Meloni will play Elliot Stabler again in a new series set in the NYPD organized crime unit led by Stabler — and this ELATES me: 'Like Law & Order: SVU, the new drama is set in New York, allowing for potential Benson-Stabler reunions.' https://t.co/fWJqo1taIs pic.twitter.com/8TI7OBN6ru
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) March 31, 2020
If Chris Meloni recreates this scene in his new show, it’ll be worth it. pic.twitter.com/aeNhgHMC1b
— JOHNNY (@Iceman81X) March 31, 2020
More Christopher Meloni is never a bad thing https://t.co/uzovol1Fee
— Thomas Polito (@PolitoThomas) March 31, 2020
Ohhh Yeah!!! Super excited!!!! @Chris_Meloni https://t.co/ghHj28pLZ3
— Laura Wright (@lldubs) March 31, 2020
BEST.
NEWS.
EVER.@Chris_Meloni pic.twitter.com/jIapoIk0NZ
— Stabler’s Secret (@stablers_secret) March 31, 2020
moms everywhere celebrating Chris Meloni’s return to Law & Order pic.twitter.com/cE7oaFVzFW
— Steve Venner (@steve_venner) March 31, 2020
ELLIOT STABLER IS GETTING HIS OWN SHOW!!!
In the name of all that is holy, please let us finally have our Benson-Stabler romance!!! Look, my phone even wants it, so… #LawAndOrderSVU @Chris_Meloni pic.twitter.com/2AIGITmCoW
— Melissa Blake (@melissablake) April 1, 2020
Chris Meloni returning to Elliot Stabler is proof that miracles still exist and we can never give up hope pic.twitter.com/WVY8c2L4tg
— Josh Wigler (@roundhoward) March 31, 2020
listen if chris is returning as elliot stabler after all these years I Deserve To See Olivia Benson And Elliot Stabler Kiss Each Other On The Mouth
— liz ✨ (@evelynfinkels) March 31, 2020
Though Meloni has yet to properly confirm his return to Wolf World, the actor seemingly corroborated the news with a simple tweet to a fan:
Sleep tight https://t.co/RFDSPoQCWF
— Chris Meloni (@Chris_Meloni) April 1, 2020
After leaving Law & Order SVU in 2011, Meloni starred in the critically acclaimed WGN America series Underground, Syfy series Happy!, and Fox comedy Surviving Jack. He also did amazing arcs on HBO’s True Blood and Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
Meloni’s Law & Order: SVU spinoff has no release date yet.