It's been two months since Law & Order: Organized Crime was abruptly canceled, leaving Christopher Meloni's beloved Elliot Stabler in limbo. While fans of the long-running franchise are still reeling, there's a silver lining: Meloni is more than ready to step back into the shoes of another iconic crime-fighter — and this time, he's got his sights set on Gotham City.
Speaking exclusively to ShowtimeSpot at the 31st annual Palm Springs ShortFest, where he was promoting his daughter Sophia Meloni's short film Chop Cheese, the actor opened up about his future in the Law & Order universe and beyond. When asked if viewers might see more of Stabler, Meloni paused, flashed a cheeky grin, and replied, "It's an unanswerable question. I don't make those decisions." Neither a confirmation nor a denial, but the door remains open for a potential reunion with Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, which returns this fall.
But Meloni's crime-fighting résumé extends far beyond New York. He's also a veteran of the DC universe, having played Colonel Nathan Hardy in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel and voiced a hilariously unhinged version of Commissioner Gordon in the animated series Harley Quinn. When asked if he'd ever reprise that role in live-action, Meloni didn't hesitate: "Absolutely." He added that he "loved how insane he was" in that particular take on the character.
Of course, Jeffrey Wright is set to return as a grittier, more grounded Commissioner Gordon in The Batman: Part II, but that film exists in its own "Elseworlds" continuity, separate from James Gunn and Peter Safran's burgeoning DCU. The first proper Batman solo adventure in the new DCU will be The Brave and the Bold, which will introduce its own version of the Dark Knight and his allies — leaving the door wide open for Meloni's chaotic Gordon to make the leap from animation to live-action.
Meloni's enthusiasm for the role is infectious, and fans of Harley Quinn know exactly why: his Gordon is a bumbling, over-the-top, endlessly entertaining foil to the show's villains. Bringing that energy to a live-action setting could be a game-changer for the DCU's tone, especially as Gunn and Safran look to balance humor with heroics.
Meanwhile, Meloni's immediate focus is on Chop Cheese, a coming-of-age short film directed by his daughter Sophia. The story follows Dante (Luca Rickman), a young man who becomes obsessed with a local bodega cook (Mark Lake) and his legendary chop cheese sandwich. The film also features a surprise appearance from Daredevil: Born Again star Michael Gandolfini, who joined the project at the last minute after offering to help load gear. "Michael is my best friend and has been since childhood," Sophia Meloni shared. "I wrote him a part on the spot."
For fans of Meloni's work, whether as Stabler, Gordon, or any of his other memorable roles, the message is clear: he's not done surprising us. And if the DCU comes calling, he's ready to answer — with a badge, a billy club, and a whole lot of insanity.
For more on the latest in TV and streaming, check out our coverage of Peter Krause's return to NBC and the return of Hannibal to Netflix.
