The Plot: Mahershala Ali Never Stops Working, Sets Up New Hulu Series

Mahershala Ali is keeping himself busy and we're reaping all of the benefits. On top of making his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring in an upcoming Netflix thriller, and performing in director Benjamin Cleary's sci-fi film "Swan Song," Ali is also the driving force behind the TV adaptation of "The Plot," which will be debuting on Hulu via Disney's Onyx Collective brand. It's fun to see an actor who is interested in, and found success in, so many different genres hop from project to project. Watching talented people do what they do best is always a good time.

Ali will star and executive produce the eight-episode series, which is based on a novel of the same name by Jean Hanff Korelitz. The story follows Jake, a washed up author and professor, whose life changes after he steals and publishes one of his student's ideas. From that point on, it's a race to see if Jake will be able to pull off the theft, or if his life will be ruined forever. As you might have guessed, Ali will play Jake in the upcoming series, but there's no word on the rest of the cast yet. 

The Plot and The Story

Abby Ajayi ("How to Get Away With Murder" and "Inventing Anna") will adapt the story and be the showrunner for the series, while the executive producer team includes Layne Eskridge, Kristen Campo, Mimi Valdés, Amatus Karim Ali and author Jean Hanff Korelitz. On top of that, Endeavor Content will serve as the studio. Eventually, "The Plot" will join fellow upcoming Onyx Collective projects like "Reasonable Doubt" (which stars Emayatzy Corinealdi and is executive produced by Kerry Washington) on Hulu. Tara Duncan, the head of Onyx Collective, seems to be especially excited about working with Ali on the project, saying:

I was captivated with Hanff Korelitz's book, "The Plot" and Abby's distinct point of view reinvents the story in a way that spoke to me and our mission at Onyx Collective ... There are so many interesting angles and nuances, that having the creative genius that is Mahershala Ali at the center of this mystery, is just a dream. Kristen and Layne have done a phenomenal job bringing this team together and I could not be more proud to work alongside them and Endeavor Content to bring this incredible series to our global audience.

And we're just as enthused. "The Plot" definitely had a lot of buzz around it when it was published, but watching Ali put his own spin on things along with the rest of the creative team makes the story that much more interesting. We don't have an official release date for the series, but we'll keep our eyes peeled, and hopefully that information will come soon.