David Farnor | On 03, Oct 2023

Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali are heading to Netflix this December, and a new trailer gives us a look at them in Leave the World Behind.

Directed and written by Sam Esmail (Mr Robot), the apocalyptic thriller tells the story of two families as they fight for survival amid an inexplicable blackout. Only one thing’s for sure: There is no going back to normal. Based on the best-selling 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam, the film follows a family (Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke) whose vacation is upended when two strangers (Mahershala Ali and Myha’la) arrive at night, seeking refuge from a cyberattack that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world.

Alam serves as an executive producer of the film alongside Barack and Michelle Obama, Tonia Davis, Daniel M Stillman and Nick Krishnamurthy. 

It streams worldwide on Netflix on 8th December. Here’s the trailer:

 

Kevin Bacon boards Netflix’s Leave the World Behind

19th April 2022

Kevin Bacon has joined the cast of Netflix’s Leave the World Behind.

The film is written and directed by Sam Esmail, who created and helmed the Amazon series Homecoming, and is based on the novel by Rumaan Alam.

It follows a family vacation on Long Island that is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a mysterious blackout. As the threat grows more imminent, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.

Delving into the complexities of parenthood, race, and class, Leave the World Behind explores how our closest bonds are reshaped — and unexpected new ones are forged — in moments of crisis.

The film stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la Herrold. Now, Kevin Bacon (You Should Have Left, City on a Hill, Cop Car) has joined the ensemble, with Farrah Mackenzie (United States of Al, Utopia) rounding out the cast.
 

Ethan Hawke joins Netflix’s Leave the World Behind

20th January 2022

Ethan Hawke is the latest star name to join the cast of Netflix’s Leave the World Behind.

The film is directed by Sam Esmail, who directed Julia Roberts in the Amazon series Homecoming, and is based on the novel by Rumaan Alam. Roberts is producing through her Red Om Films banner and Esmail and Chad Hamilton through Esmail Corp. Alam will exec-produce, while Red Om’s Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill are also on board as EPs.

The third novel by Alam, it follows Amanda and Clay, who head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and GH are an older couple – it’s their house, and they’ve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area, with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service, it’s hard to know what to believe.

Julia Roberts has already been cast as Amanda, alongside Mahershala Ali as GH. Hawke, who will soon appear in Marvel’s Disney+ series Moon Knight, will play Clay, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Charlie Evans to play Amanda and Clay’s children. Myha’la Herrold, who starred in HBO and BBC’s Industry, will play GH’s daughter.

 

Mahershala Ali joins Julia Roberts in Netflix’s Leave the World Behind

18th September 2021

Mahershala Ali has joined Julia Roberts in Netflix’s Leave the World Behind.

The film is directed by Sam Esmail, who directed Julia Roberts in Amazon series Homecoming, and is based on the novel by Rumaan Alam. Roberts is producing through her Red Om Films banner and Esmail and Chad Hamilton through Esmail Corp. Alam will exec-produce, while Red Om’s Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill are also on board as EPs.

The third novel by Alam, the novel follows Amanda and Clay, who head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and GH are an older couple – it’s their house, and they’ve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area, with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service, it’s hard to know what to believe.

Roberts will play Amanda, while Denzel Washington was initially circling the role of the homeowner. Now, Ali has officially signed on to co-star. The soon-to-be-Blade actor is no stranger to streaming, having starred in Netflix’s House of Cards and Hulu’s Ramy and starred in and produced the upcoming Apple Studios film Swan Song.

A production start date is not yet confirmed.

Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts to star in Netflix’s Leave the World Behind

21st July 2020

Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts are heading to Netflix to star in new drama Leave the World Behind.

The film marks a reunion for the Equalizer and Erin Brockovich stars, after their worked together in 1993’s The Pelican Brief, directed by Alan J Pakula. They’re no strangers to streaming either: she recently starred in Amazon’s sci-fi thriller Homecoming, picking up a Golden Globe nomination along the way, while he is a producer on Netflix’s upcoming Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

In another reunion, Sam Esmail, who directed both Homecoming and Mr Robot, is attached to helm the movie, which he has penned himself, based on the upcoming novel by Rumaan Alam. Those names together spell not only a reported blockbuster payday for the A-list stars, but also an appealing package for any streamer worth its salt. Indeed, Netflix has nabbed the rights, with Roberts producing through her Red Om Films banner and Esmail and Chad Hamilton through Esmail Corp. Alam will exec-produce, while Red Om’s Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill are also on board.

The third novel by Alam, the novel follows Amanda and Clay, who head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and GH are an older couple – it’s their house, and they’ve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area, with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service, it’s hard to know what to believe.

Roberts will play Amanda, while Washington will play the homeowner.

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