Only a week ago during NBC’s upfront conference call, the network’s chairman Bob Greenblatt said he was confident that would be back on Law & Order: SVU next season. But, following negotiations that didn’t result in a deal, Meloni will be leaving the veteran crime drama after 12 seasons.
His leading lady, Mariska Hargitay, closed her deal to return next season full-time for the first 13 episodes and part-time for the back nine as the network and Dick Wolf are preparing for an overhaul of the long-running series.
L&O veteran Warren Leight is taking the reins of the series next season. As for Meloni, some sources say that he and NBC simply couldn’t agree on a new deal as the actor had been looking for a salary increase
