The latest apocalyptic thriller from Netflix “Leave the World Behind”.
The film stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke.
It’s based on the novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam.
The Apocalyptic Thriller film is written and directed by Sam Esmail, known for his work on “Mr. Robot” and “Metropolis”.
The story begins when Ali’s character, G.H. Scott, and his daughter Ruth arrive at a luxurious home rented for the weekend by Amanda and Clay Sandford (played by Roberts and Hawke) and their kids.
What starts with a blackout in New York City soon spreads to a collapsing world in unexpected ways.
The film will make its world premiere on October 25 with a red carpet gala at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, will reach select theaters on November 22, and begin streaming on Netflix on December 8.
Watch the trailer of the Apocalyptic Thriller “Leave the World Behind”
“Leave the World Behind” is a 2020 novel by Rumaan Alam.
The story revolves around Amanda and Clay, who drive out to a remote luxury Airbnb on Long Island for a vacation, along with their kids Archie, 15, and Rose, 13. They are a middle-to-upper-middle-class family who live in Brooklyn.
Their idyllic and peaceful vacation is interrupted when an older Black couple shows up at night, identifying themselves as the house’s owners, G.H. (or George) and Ruth¹. They explain that there’s been a blackout. Amanda is initially suspicious of them but it turns out George and Ruth are a wealthy and highly educated couple. Their main home is in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, but they drove back to their vacation home to wait out the blackout.
At the house, the Wi-Fi is out, along with the landline, TV, and cell service. But they have power.
Amanda also catches a news alert on her phone confirming a large-scale blackout across the East Coast. The next morning, Rose notices a herd of a few dozen deer outside.
The story continues with various incidents that heighten the tension and fear among the characters. These include Clay getting lost in town, Archie getting bitten by a tick and falling sick with a fever, loud noises that crack the glass on some doors, and Rose going missing.
The novel explores how this group of isolated strangers react to an unspecified threat that is sweeping across New York. It examines the relationship between race and class during this disaster that cuts off all communication, forcing these two families together.
