With the production date for "Criminal Minds" one month away, the future of one of the show’s stars is still up in the air, reports Deadline.com.

Talks between CBS and actor Thomas Gibson have stalled, creating a dilemma for the show’s writers, the story notes. Since his character has been closely tied to the show’s plots, the writers may find it difficult to hash out next season if they don’t know whether he’ll return.

Gibson, who plays Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, has otherwise been fulfilling his "Criminal Minds" obligations, such as meeting with advertising buyers and participating in a press junket, the piece notes.