A new trailer has shed some light on Netflix's upcoming, enigmatic apocalyptic thriller, Leave the World Behind.
It appears that in the Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot) written and directed pic, a family's Airbnb rental turns frightening when the owners of the property show up amidst a cyberattack that might be more than what it initially seems.
With smart devices down, there's no way to verify if the couple that shows up in the middle of the night are actually the owners of the rental home. However, the two families must get over their initial distrust and work together to survive unusual circumstances.
The film features an all-star cast that includes Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke. Also co-starring are Charlie Evans, Farrah Mackenzie, and Myha’la.
The film is based on the National Book Award-nominated novel by Rumaan Alam. The novel has been described as a horror novel as it primarily deals with fear, more so than than mystery behind the origin of the cyberattack.
In a press release, Esmail reflected on how casting Roberts allowed him to focus his attention on other elements of the production. "What’s really great about casting someone like Julia Roberts is that you don’t have to worry about the likeability factor. Julia has the uncanny ability to channel the humanity out of any character, regardless of how flawed they may be."
On Mahershala, he stated, "Mahershala’s poignant everyman quality mixed with his undeniable charisma make it nearly impossible for him to deliver a substandard performance. That was what G.H. needed, a deep-hearted accessibility that lets him be your avatar into the story."
Leave The World Behind, starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la and Kevin Bacon comes to Netflix on December 8.
In this apocalyptic thriller from award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot), Amanda (Academy Award winner Roberts) and her husband Clay (Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke), rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie). Their vacation is soon upended when two strangers — G.H. (Academy Award winner Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha’la) — arrive in the night, bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs.
The two families reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world.
Based on the National Book Award-nominated novel by Rumaan Alam, Leave the World Behind is produced by Esmail Corp, Red Om Films, and executive produced by Higher Ground Productions.