Y’lan Noel To Headline ‘The Spook Who Sat By The Door’ FX Pilot Produced By Lee Daniels

Insecure alum Y’lan Noel has been tapped as the lead in The Spook Who Sat by the Door, FX’s drama pilot based on Sam Greenlee’s spy novel, which is executive produced by Lee Daniels.

Written by Leigh Dana Jackson and to be directed by Gerard McMurray, The Spook Who Sat by the Door tells at the fictional story of Dan Freeman (Noel), who has just been hired as the only Black operative in the CIA. He is a patriot, a Vietnam vet, and secretly, a Black Revolutionary.

More from Deadline

• Elmore Leonard TV Adaptation In Works At FX From 'Justified' Team; Timothy Olyphant Eyes Return As Raylan Givens

• FX Names Shola Ajewole SVP Creative & Cultural Diversity

• 'Pose' Shoot Comes To A Close; Creators & Stars Weigh In On Bringing Groundbreaking Drama To An End

The project reunites Noel and McMurray after Noel headlined the 2018 Universal feature The First Purge, the prequel to the Purge franchise, which McMurray directed.

Greenlee’s book was published in 1969 and turned into a feature film in 1973, in which Lawrence Cook starred as Dan Freeman.

2020-21 FX Pilots & Series Orders

The Spook Who Sat by the Door is produced by 20th Television. It was optioned through Daniels’ Inclusion Fund. Daniels, Marc Velez, Jackson and McMurray exec produce. Jackson serves as showrunner.

Noel is known for his role as Daniel on the first three seasons of Issa Rae’s award-winning HBO comedy series Insecure. In features, he was seen in Stella Meghie’s romantic drama The Photograph for Universal Pictures and Stella Meghie’s indie comedy The Weekend. His next film is A Lot of Nothing, directed by Mo McRae. Noel is repped by WME, Stride Management and Hansen Jacobsen Teller.

Lee gave Noel a shoutout after Deadline announced the actor’s casting.

Best of Deadline

• U.S. Covid-19 Update: CDC Director Warns Case Declines May Be Leveling Off At "Still A Very High Number'

• Coronavirus: Movies That Have Halted Or Delayed Production Amid Outbreak

• Hong Kong Filmart Postponed Due To Coronavirus Fears; Event Moves Two Weeks Before Toronto

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.