The Law & Order brand is expanding.
iHeartPodcasts, Universal Television (UTV) and Wolf Entertainment have announced Law & Order: Criminal Justice System, an unscripted true-crime series that expands the successful brand into audio and marks the first foray into investigative journalism. The deal is for four 12-episode seasons. The podcast will premiere on Thursday, August 22, and be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are available. Listen to the trailer below.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System is hosted by former Brooklyn homicide prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi. Season 1 will dive into the world of the American Mafia in New York City, chronicling the real downfall of the most notorious criminal organization in history. It is set against the turbulent backdrop of 1979 and reveals how an unlikely team of young local police and prosecutors worked tirelessly to beat the odds in dismantling the Mafia’s iron grip on the city.
The season begins with the assassination of Carmine Galante, a powerful boss in the Bonanno crime family. The murder became a cornerstone in the Mafia Commission Trial, the pivotal case that hamstrung organized crime in the United States and ended the Mafia’s golden era. Each episode will peel back the layers of the events that led to this victory for the justice system, with first-hand accounts of the investigations, surveillance, legal battles, and personal sacrifices made by those on the front lines.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with iHeartPodcasts and UTV to bring the real stories that have shaped our criminal justice system, the bedrock of the Law & Order brand, to life,” said executive producer Elliot Wolf in a statement. “The goal coming in was always to push the boundaries of audio storytelling, this series delivers on that while still being deeply informative and entertaining.”
Added Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts, “Listeners’ interest in true crime continues to flourish with new stories constantly being sought out across platforms. Law & Order is a legendary series, and it’s an honor to team up with UTV, Wolf Entertainment and Elliot to develop this original slate of podcasts. Through this collaboration, listeners will instantly recognize that Law & Order brand affiliation and know they will become entrenched in the dramatic and thrilling storytelling they’ve grown to love and expect from the Law & Order franchise – now through Elliot Wolf’s unique vision and fresh perspective.”
The podcast is coming ahead of the returns of the Law & Order shows for new seasons: the original with its 24th season and SVU with its 26th on NBC on Thursday, October 3, and Organized Crime with its fifth, moving to Peacock (premiere date not yet announced).