Expanding its library of star-studded feature films and possible Oscar contenders, Netflix will produce Leave the World Behind, an adaptation of the acclaimed novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam that was also a favorite of former US President Barack Obama. The movie will star Oscar winners Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts.
The film is conceived by Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail. Esmail will also write the screenplay and direct the movie itself, which was a very hot itemback in 2020 in a bidding war that Netflix won against other streaming services and MGM.
Sam Esmail (Photo by Danny Moloshok)
The film will be produced by Roberts through her Red Om Films banner and Esmail and Chad Hamilton through Esmail Corp. Alam will exec produce, with Red Om’s Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill also be involved in a producing capacity. Here’s everything else we know about Netflix’s Leave the World Behind:
What’s the plot of Leave the World Behind?
As mentioned above, the movie will be based on Rumaan Alam’s novel of the same name that was published in October 2020. The book was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Awards and listed as one of Barack Obama’s Summer Favorites. It has been named A Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, NPR, Time, Esquire and Elle among others.
Here is the story synopsis for Netflix’s Leave the World Behind:
Amanda and Clay’s aspirational vacation with their teenage children is interrupted by the arrival of a middle aged couple who own the holiday home and who have fled an unprecedented blackout in the city. When the internet, television and radio stop working, as does the landline, they have no way of finding out what is happening. As strange sonic booms shatter the peace of the countryside, and animals start to migrate in strange ways, the physical and mental health of the families begins to disintegrate. The renters are upscale and White; the owners are upscale and Black. The issues of race and clash become distractions to the more alarming things are happening all around them.
Who is cast in Leave the World Behind?
The cast of Netflix’s Leave the World Behind will be led by Oscar winners Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts. Ali, who took on the role after Denzel Washington dropped out, will play the homeowner and Roberts will portray the mother of the family that rents the house.
What’s the production status of Leave the World Behind?
No production dates are known for Leave the World Behind at the moment, but given Ali’s Blade commitment and Disney’s very strict and demanding nature, this movie should be wrapped before Blade begins filming, whenever it does.
What’s the Netflix release date for Leave the World Behind?
Netflix hasn’t set a release date for Leave the World Behind, but it would be safe to assume a window between late 2022 and mid 2023.