Mahershala Ali can add another role to his roster as it was just announced by Deadline that he would be replacing Denzel Washington in the upcoming Netflix thriller Leave The World Behind. Ali’s resume currently includes the future projects of Marvel’s Blade film, as well as Apple Studio’s Swan Song.
Leave The World Behind, which also stars Julia Roberts, is a movie based on the novel by Rumaan Alam with the same name. The film’s plot follows Roberts’s character Amanda, her husband Clay, and their two teenage children as they take a weekend trip to the Hamptons.
While on the secluded rented property the family is met by a black elderly couple and owners of the holiday home named G.H. — portrayed by Ali — and Ruth Washington, who claimed that a power outage resulted in them fleeing the city. Things begin to unravel after the strangers become acquainted with one another. The movie will also tackle issues of race and class.
In addition to having a starring role, Roberts will also produce the project with her company Red Om Films. Despite Washington leaving this role any additional details surrounding his departure were not provided. News about Leave The World Behind was first announced back in 2020.