Ever since Manifest concluded with its fourth and final season on Netflix in June 2023, devoted Manifesters have been patiently waiting on word about the potentially in-the-work spinoff series. The show might have hit its own Death Date, but the fans haven't given up on Flight 828 and its passengers just yet. There's still a chance we could return to this supernatural world.
Most recently, Manifest creator Jeff Rake got fans all riled up on June 2, the Death Date, with a cryptic social media post. He simply shared the three words, "Not dead yet," and a sly emoji that sent Manifesters into a frenzy and hoping for some sort of announcement soon. Well, Rake shared an exciting announcement about a new project about a week later, but... It's not about Manifest.
Manifest creator set to publish debut novel
On June 10, Deadline broke the news that Rake will be publishing his debut novel Detour on Jan. 13, 2026. He co-authored the novel with Rob Hart, who's written such bestsellers as Assassins Anonymous, Paradox Hotel, and many more. Detour comes from Random House Worlds and does what Rake does best: "mind-bending" science fiction. That's not even the best part!
In addition to publishing the novel in January 2026, Rake also intends to shop the concept as a television series. As Cal Stone once said, it's all connected! Rake's taking on a new endeavor by breaking into the publishing business, but he's bringing it back to his bread and butter and hoping to bring the story to life on the small screen. Manifesters would definitely tune in.
Detour tackles the timely theme of space travel, as the book centers on Ryan Crane being invited on a mission to Saturn's moon Titan after saving a billionaire from an attempted assassination. Ryan joins billionaire John Ward and a group of astronauts on the mission, but when it goes of course, the group must take on a new mission to return home. It's giving a bit of Manifest, isn't it?
Rake shared his excitement about taking on a "terrifying yet exhilarating" new creative journey and shared a bit of insight about how the idea for Detour came to him. Here's the statement he shared about his upcoming debut novel:
"After twenty-plus years of making television, writing a novel turned out to be the terrifying yet exhilarating experience I didn’t know I needed. Partnering with Rob has been a miracle and a joy. I hope we can collaborate forever. Like Manifest, the idea for Detour popped into my brain pretty much out of nowhere. I couldn’t be more excited for readers to jump onboard for the mystifying journey." —Jeff Rake
Surely, Manifesters are thrilled to have a new project from Rake to look forward to, even if its not related to Manifest. While his attention will be turned to Detour for the foreseeable future, Rake's social media post suggests that he hasn't given up on Manifest. If anything, having another original idea to pitch to networks and streamers will make the possibility of returning to the Flight 828 universe all the more enticing.
Even if we don't make a return trip with a spinoff series, we can always keep our fingers crossed that Detour will go from our shelves to our screens. Perhaps Rake would even reteam with Manifest cast members like Josh Dallas for the series adaptation. Regardless, Manifesters just got one more thing to add to their manifestation list! Consider this a slight but wonderful detour.