NBC Poised to Renew Law & Order for Season 26

NBC is poised to renew its flagship drama Law & Order for a 26th season, securing the future of the long-running police procedural after it lingered on the renewal bubble into the final weeks of its current campaign.

The network has not yet issued an official confirmation, but sources close to the production indicate that negotiations are in the final stages, with an announcement expected as early as Friday ahead of NBCUniversal's upfront presentation to advertisers next week. Season 25, which premiered last fall, will wrap up with its 21st episode, titled "Liberty," on May 14. That installment involves the murder of a military hero, drawing in the FBI amid political pressures during a prosecutor's reelection campaign.

Law & Order, created by Dick Wolf and produced by Universal Television in association with Wolf Entertainment, originally aired for 20 seasons on NBC before its abrupt cancellation in 2010. The series returned in 2022, resuming its signature format that follows detectives investigating crimes and prosecutors seeking justice in court. Executive producers include Wolf, Rick Eid, Alex Hall, Peter Jankowski, and Anastasia Puglisi.

The current cast features Hugh Dancy...