Screenplay Pitch
The Hustled
A Film Worth Making
A cinematic story of ambition, deception, and consequence — ready for the screen.
The Logline
In a game of billionaires, cartels, and blood money, the ultimate hustle is staying alive.
Take this sweeping, tumultuous journey from Lawrence, Kansas to Monte Carlo through the eyes of Cav—a brilliant tactician—and the love of his life, Esmeralda, as they rise, fall, and conquer the world.
Premise, Stakes & Emotional Arc
The Underdog's Ascent: Cast onto the streets of Lawrence, Kansas following his father's fatal bank heist, 16-year-old Cavalier "Cav" McTavish finds sanctuary at Jasper's—a legendary pool hall. Under Jasper's mentorship, Cav masters geometry, game psychology, and the art of the hustle. After conquering the road from Philadelphia to Los Angeles alongside his fast-talking partner Jimmy, Cav accepts a lucrative $200,000 freeze-out challenge in Rio against Fredrico, bankrolled by reclusive Brazilian emerald tycoon Marco.
The Descent & The Quarter-Billion Play: In Rio, the match is an audition. Marco seduces the young hustlers into his luxury empire—using high-end emeralds as a front for a multi-million-dollar cocaine pipeline. While Cav falls for Esmeralda, a razor-sharp Brazilian aristocrat and supermodel, a violent brush with federal agents at LaGuardia shatters the illusion. Desperate to break clean, Cav secretly rebuilds his game to world-class mastery. Partnering with Jasper, Cav baits Monaco casino titan Gustave LeBlanc into laying 5-to-1 odds against his house champion—orchestrating a stunning $250 million televised score. When the Italian mob and Marco’s cartel converge to enslave him, Esmeralda and Brazilian Special Operations breach Marco’s stronghold, executing Marco, dismantling the syndicate, and liberating the empire.
Final Angle & Resolution: Overlooking Rio from the heights of Corcovado, Cav settles debts, pays out Fredrico's cut, and proposes to Esmeralda. As the crew unfurls a surprise reveal announcing Esmeralda’s pregnancy, the master tactician realizes he’s been willingly outmaneuvered in the greatest play of his life.
A 110-page feature screenplay by David Sutter. Full script available under NDA upon request.
Explore Film RightsGenre & Comparables
The Hustled is a commercial thriller-drama positioned in proven, high-performing territory. These comparables establish its audience, tone, and box office potential for studio consideration.
Margin Call
2011Roadside Attractions
A high-stakes financial thriller told across a single night — taut, dialogue-driven, and morally complex. The Hustled shares its intimate boardroom tension and the devastating consequences of institutional deception.
The Big Short
2015Paramount Pictures
Broke mainstream through a blend of dark comedy, financial exposure, and propulsive narrative energy. The Hustled targets the same crossover audience: general viewers hungry for insider drama and industry-savvy cinephiles.
Uncut Gems
2019A24
Elevated genre filmmaking rooted in compulsive risk-taking and a morally compromised protagonist. The Hustled brings that same visceral urgency — a man trapped by his own ambition in a world with no safe exits.
A Proven Genre with Greenlight-Ready Appeal
The Hustled occupies the commercial sweet spot between prestige drama and accessible thriller — a genre combination that studios and streamers are actively acquiring. The comparables above represent a combined worldwide gross exceeding $200M across theatrical and platform releases.
Why This Story. Why Now.
The Hustled is not waiting for its moment — it arrived. Here is the cultural and commercial case for why this adaptation is the most differentiated greenlight opportunity in the prestige thriller space today.
Audiences Are Hungry for Authentic Crime Drama
Streaming wars have created an unprecedented appetite for prestige thriller content. Crime dramas rooted in real-world economic and cultural tension are consistently outperforming genre averages — and The Hustled is built for exactly that moment.
A Built-In Reader Base Ready to Convert
The Hustled already commands a passionate readership actively seeking its screen adaptation. Proven source material with an engaged pre-existing audience dramatically reduces greenlight risk and marketing spend for any studio partner.
Ambition, Deception & Consequence — Universally Compelling
At its core, The Hustled examines how far ambition pushes ordinary people into extraordinary moral compromises. These themes cut across demographics and borders, making the story genuinely global in its commercial appeal.
Not Another Procedural — A Character-Driven Thriller
While the market is flooded with formula crime procedurals, The Hustled leads with character psychology and moral complexity. This distinction positions it as prestige fare — award-season contender territory rather than disposable content.
Screen-Ready Structure from Page One
David Sutter's narrative was architected with cinematic pacing — tightly structured acts, visual set pieces, and dialogue designed to translate directly to screen. The adaptation work is already embedded in the source material.
The Profile of a Campaign-Ready Film
Morally complex protagonists, a story of consequence, and high-stakes settings create the precise ingredients sought by awards bodies. The Hustled has the substance and emotional range to compete in the prestige conversation.
The Hustled represents a rare convergence of proven source material, timely cultural themes, and a built-in audience — the trifecta that turns a development conversation into a fast-tracked greenlight.
— David Sutter, Author & Creator, The Hustled
Ready to Bring The Hustled to the Screen?
Reach out to discuss screenplay rights, producer packages, and adaptation opportunities with David Sutter's team.