The Plot - What We Know So Far

It's a good day for fans of hits like "Moonlight" and "True Detective,"  as one of the film and television series' central stars has been cast in an upcoming thriller series about a writer who makes it big off of someone else's idea. The show comes courtesy of Endeavor Content and is slated to appear on a yet-to-be-determined streaming platform. It is entitled "The Plot," and it will be an eight-episode series based on the novel of the same name by Jean Hanff Korelitz, as reported by Variety.

While pre-production on "The Plot" is underway, its fate currently hangs in the balance as streamers fight over who gets to feature the series. Since so many different platforms (including ones like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO) are reportedly scrambling for the project, then it certainly warrants a close examination. With that in mind, here is what we know so far about the upcoming release date, cast, and plot of "The Plot."

At the moment, "The Plot" has no established release date. However, Endeavor Content has begun work on the series, and it is currently being bid on by a number of different platforms for exclusive rights. Variety's report merely says that Endeavor Content "assembled" the series, but "It's known to have been enthusiastically received and drawn multiple offers." Nevertheless, the auction for "The Plot" will likely end before November is out, meaning more news about a possible release schedule is bound to break as 2021 wraps up.

No matter which way you slice it, the upcoming limited series "The Plot" will likely be released sometime in 2022. Obviously, the further into production Endeavor Content is, the sooner the series is bound to see the light of day, but current reports give no indication on how far into pre-production they are. Until then, however, all there is to do is wait and watch as companies fight to get this promising property on their platforms.

"The Plot" only has one confirmed star so far, but he has a huge back catalog of work for potential viewers of the upcoming series to check out, at least to get a feel of who will be headlining this new series. With two Oscars under his belt from 2017's "Moonlight" and 2019's "Green Book," the majority of the show's star power comes from Mahershala Ali. It is currently unknown which character from the original book Ali is slated to play in this adaptation, but the role of protagonist Jacob Finch Bonner is most likely.

Aside from starring in the series, Ali — who is also known for his roles in "True Detective," "Luke Cage," and "House of Cards" — is also serving as executive producer. He does this alongside former Netflix and Apple TV executive Layne Eskridge, as well as ex-Chernin Entertainment executive Kristen Campo. Abby Ajayi, who wrote for "How to Get Away With Murder" and other series, is serving as scriptwriter for the project.

As you might guess, the plot of "The Plot" is about a plot. It's not a physical plot, like a plot of land, or a figurative plot, like a plan — but an honest to goodness story. It's a tale about what it's like to write stories, and where one must draw the line between inspiration and plagiarism. "The Plot," the book that the show is based on, focuses on the aforementioned Jacob Finch Bonner, who at the beginning of the story is a washed-up novelist (via Goodreads). He works as a college professor and has met a creative dead end in his writing.

The plot of "The Plot" picks up, however, when one of Jacob's students reveals that he has a killer idea for a story, one that is guaranteed to make him famous. Jacob is skeptical at first, but changes his opinion once his student reveals the basics of the plot. Years later, Jacob's student is even less than famous — he's dead — and so Jacob takes it upon himself to write the story instead. Although he never directly plagiarizes his student, he still takes the premise for himself and becomes a star from it. 

While Jacob is enjoying his successful life, he suddenly receives a mysterious email revealing that somebody knows his dirty little secret. "You are a thief," the first email reads, and so begins Jacob's life of guilt as he learns more and more about his student, and how exactly his story idea came to fruition.