Christopher Meloni Is Coming Back As Detective Elliot Stabler For Law & Order: SVU Spin-Off Series

Christopher Meloni has shocked Law & Order fans around the world by announcing he's coming back as Detective Elliot Stabler.

The actor departed the SVU version of the gripping crime drama in the 12th season, leaving his on-screen partner Olivia Benson to eventually become captain of the department.

The show has since racked up another nine seasons and there have been similarly bizarre stories.

NBC

But Detective Stabler will be returning to our screens in a new SUV spin-off series.

Deadline reports Meloni is gearing up to lead the NYPD's organised crime unit.

Stabler left the Special Victims Unit under the guise that he was retiring from the force. His final episode, titled 'Smoked' was a doozy as well, which left the squad room in tatters.

But clearly something is brewing in New York's organised crime; something big enough to bring Detective Stabler out of retirement and onto our screens.

NBC

Considering it will be set in the Big Apple, there should definitely be grounds for Stabler and Benson to cross paths.

Just imagine when Mariska Hargitay's character sees Meloni's for the first time in years. No doubt that will be one emotional rollercoaster to say the least.

The new series will have 13 episodes to begin with and hopefully audiences love it enough that it will get several more seasons.

That doesn't sound out of the ordinary considering Law & Order: SVU's creator Dick Wolf signed a five-year deal with NBC.

NBC

Wolf said on the deal: "I'm gratified and excited that Universal will remain our home for five more years.

"This new term deal complements our recently concluded agreement to make Peacock one of the primary destinations for both the L&O and Chicago brands, as well as our extraordinary three-year NBC broadcast pickups on all four current series.

"We are now supercharged to expand our business on new platforms, both domestically and internationally, while continuing to produce our current and future series for broadcasting and streaming networks."

There's no word on when we can expect the new Stabler series to start filming or premiere but no doubt it will be a massive countdown when the date is revealed.

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie