Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts Fear the Apocalypse in ‘Leave the World Behind’
Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts play a married couple facing some scary truths in the upcoming apocalyptic thriller Leave the World Behind written, directed, and produced by Sam Esmail. The movie also stars Mahershala Ali, Myha'la Herrold, and Kevin Bacon.
As reported on Tudum by Netflix: “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.”
Leave the World Behind Will Get a Limited Theatrical Release Before It Streams on Netflix
In the teaser trailer for Leave the World Behind, Ali tells Hawke and Roberts that “there is no going back to normal” and “the truth is much scarier.” He continues, “In my line of work, you have to understand the patterns that govern the world. It can help you see the future.” Bacon appears as some kind of end-of-days survivalist who says that “we've all been deserted.”
Leave the World Behind director-writer-producer Esmail is the creator, writer, and director of the TV series Mr. Robot. He previously directed Roberts in the Amazon Prime Video psychological thriller series Homecoming. Esmail is producing a reboot of the beloved 2004 sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica.
Hawke was nominated four times for an Oscar for his roles in Training Day, Before Midnight, Before Sunset, and Boyhood. Roberts was nominated for Best Supporting Actress or Best Actress four times, winning the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as the real-life titular character in Erin Brockovich. Leave the World Behind is the first time that Hawke and Roberts have worked together on a movie or TV project.
Leave the World Behind opens is select theaters on November 22 before premiering on Netflix on December 8.
Robert DeSalvo is a professional writer and editor with over 25 years of experience at print and online publications such as Movieline, Playboy, PCH, Fandango, and The A.V. Club. He currently lives in Los Angeles, the setting of his favorite movie, Blade Runner. Robert has interviewed dozens of actors, directors, authors, musicians, and other celebrities during his journalism career, including Brian De Palma, Nicolas Cage, Dustin Hoffman, John Waters, Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, Bryan Cranston, Anne Rice, and many more. Horror movies, sci-fi, cult films as well as gothic, postpunk, and synthwave music are what Robert geeks over.