Dick Wolf's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been one of the hallmark series on NBC for a quarter of a century, and procedural will return for season 26. Debuting in 1999 as a spinoff to Wolf's wildly popular Law & Order, SVU follows the dedicated detectives of the titular Special Victims Unit who specialize in cases involving sex crimes. Perhaps the most successful spinoff of all time, SVU has managed to outlive its predecessor and has taken its place as the flagship series of Wolf's entire TV universe.

Though critical reaction to SVU has seen peaks and valleys over its two and a half decades on the air, its popularity and viewership have rarely wavered. What makes the series so special is its ripped-from-the-headlines stories that help recontextualize some of the biggest news pieces of the time. Though SVU and the rest of Dick Wolf's TV universe were delayed due to the Hollywood strikes of 2023, the wait only helped to make their returns even more anticipated. With that in mind, there is no reason to think that Law & Order: SVU is stopping at the end of season 25.

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Latest News

A BTS Image Reveals Season 26's New Team

As the landmark 26th season nears its October release date, the latest news comes in the form of a BTS image from Law & Order: SVU. The shot was taken on set of the newest season and posted on star Mariska Hargitay's official Instagram . It depicts Hargitay's Olivia Benson sitting with the rest of her team on the hood of a parked car. Though it doesn't reveal much, it does show the new face of SVU for season 26 as the team's dynamics continue to shift and change.

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Release Date

The Procedural Returns In October

Law & Order: SVU was swiftly renewed for a 26th season in early 2024, and the fate of the long-running procedural was never in any jeopardy. Now, NBC has scheduled the show to return on Thursday, October 3, 2024, airing weekly at 9pm. SVU airs as part of a block, and will follow Law & Order each Thursday as it airs at 8pm.

Law & Order: SVU season 25 concluded on May 16, 2024.

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Cast

Expect The Main Cast To Return

Long-time SVU star Kelli Giddish left her role as Amanda Rollins after season 24 in controversial fashion, but her brief cameo in season 25 does open the door for a more permanent return.

In its 25 seasons on the air thus far, Law & Order: SVU has seen a lot of changes in its peripheral characters, but the main core has remained largely intact throughout. That said, SVU season 26 will most likely feature a lot of familiar faces if it is renewed, with Mariska Hargitay leading the charge as Olivia Benson. ing her will probably be long-time co-star Ice-T as Fin Tutuola, since the rapper-turned-actor has made it clear on numerous occasions that he has no plans on ever leaving SVU.

Long-time SVU star Kelli Giddish left her role as Amanda Rollins after season 24 in controversial fashion, but her brief cameo in season 25 does open the door for a more permanent return. The same goes for Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler who departed the franchise only to be given his own spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime. Though he probably won't come back to SVU permanently, crossovers are nearly guaranteed. Season 26 will promote Kevin Kane's Detective Bruno to recurring status, and Juliana Aidén Martinez will as an as-yet-unnamed character.

The cast of season 26 is expected to include:

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Story

More Ripped-From-The-Headlines Stories

The story of Law & Order: SVU season 26 is wholly independent of season 25 and though the procedural has moved in a more serialized direction in recent seasons, it's impossible to predict new storylines at this juncture. However, season 26 is expected to contain more signature Law & Order ripped-from-the-headlines stories that test the resolve of the SVU team, and will almost certainly have a few crossovers with Dick Wolf's other NBC shows.