Mahershala Ali Is "True Detective's" Next Leading Actor

Philadelphia (CW Philly) -- After weeks of rumors it's official, Mahershala Ali will take the leading role of the upcoming third season of HBO's "True Detective". Deadline broke the news Thursday night that Nic Pizzolatto's series will be coming back to television, with the "Moonlight" actor taking on the starring role. There have been rumors circulating all summer that he was being given the role.

"True Detective's" third season "will tell the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods." Mahershala Ali will play the role of an Arkansas state police detective Wayne Hays.

There hasn't been any word on how long the season run, but it's been told that scripts have been finished. This season is entirely written by Pizzolatto, with a co-write on one episode from Deadwood creator David Milch, while Jeremy Saulnier will direct.

"I'm tremendously thrilled to be working with artists at the level of Mahershala and Jeremy," Pizzolatto said. "I hope the material can do justice to their talents, and we're all very excited to tell this story." (via Deadline)