Netflix has recently won the film rights to the adaptation of Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam – before the novel has even been released.
Set to debut on October 6th of this year, the book focuses on socioeconomic hurdles as an upper-class white family meets the black owners of their vacation rental during a citywide blackout. Amazon describes the publication as “suspenseful and provocative.”
Alam’s former works include That Kind of Mother and Rich and Pretty – both are written from the perspective of a woman. In 2016, Alam shared how he is able to write from such a viewpoint.
I think that, for me, my experience of parenting has really made me a more empathetic person. And you often hear writers talk about empathy as being essential to the work on some level. If you can’t empathize with other people, then you will never really be able to write well about them.
The Netflix film is to be directed by Sam Esmail, starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. Alam will work as an executive producer.
Previously, Roberts and Washington co-starred in The Pelican Brief, another film adaptation based upon the 1992 novel by John Grisham. The motion picture won an ASCAP Award in 1994. Roberts praised her co-star for his support and talent.
Working with Denzel, I had really never seen anything like it, honestly. It was like working as I imagined, with wheels.
The on-screen release date of Leave the World Behind has not been announced at this time.