The return of "Stabler" hits pause

Christopher Meloni 'SVU' Spin-Off Suspended Amid Production Difficulties

Law & Order: Organized Crime, the SVU spin-off starring Christopher Meloni, has suspended production after showrunner Matt Olmstead exited his role with the series. The delay is not the first setback suffered by the long-awaited series centred on "Det. Elliot Stabler," whose Law & Order return remains without a premiere date.

Despite being one of the most-anticipated TV projects of 2020, Law & Order: Organized Crime appears unlikely to happen this year. The SVU spin-off starring Christopher Meloni has suspended production after showrunner Matt Olmstead exited the show. There is still no date set for the series to restart production or premiere on NBC.

Christopher Meloni's Law & Order: SVU spin-off suspended

Producer Dick Wolf and NBC had hoped that Organized Crime would be released in the 2020-21 TV season, but these plans were unable to be carried out due to the pandemic along with problems on the production team.

Christopher Meloni in a promotional image of the series 'Law and order: UVE'.

Today, Variety reported that multiple sources confirmed the departure of Matt Olmstead, showrunner of the series, due to creative differences.

After the departure of Olmstead, a veteran of series such as Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D., NBC decided to postpone production of the show and begin searching for a new creative team leader for the series.

It was set for theatres in October

'The Witches': Anne Hathaway Remake Gets New Release Date & Trailer

Law & Order: Organized Crime: Setbacks delay release

Matt Olmstead is not the first person from the series crew to make headlines for exiting the Meloni-starring spin-off.

Christopher Meloni on the set of a scene from the series 'Law and Order: Vee'.

In June of this year, Craig Gore, a screenwriter on Organized Crime, was fired by Dick Wolf after he posted a series of threatening messages about protests in Los Angeles after George Floyd's death.

Organized Crime is still expected to air in the 2020-21 TV season, but a premiere this year appears unlikely. Franchise star SVU resumed production last month and is scheduled for a mid-November premiere for season 22. Wolf also confirmed that Meloni's previously-announced return to SVU would wait until Organized Crime premieres.