Led by The Harder They Fall director Jeymes Samuel, the biblical epic comedy The Book of Clarence has released its first trailer. According to Samuel, the film will follow a biblical everyman trying to become someone memorable.
The trailer reveals the life of Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck man enthralled by Jesus and his disciples. He is then inspired to become a new messiah and gain the same power and prestige as Jesus. However, he soon learns that this kind of fame comes at a steep price that can change everything.
Director Samuel intended for the film to provide a grounded look at biblical events while still relishing its glory. “I always wanted to explore the Bible stories, but from the angle of the person that sells Jesus his sandals, the woman or man that owns the hair salon,” he explained in an interview with Vanity Fair. Samuel even went as far as to do deep research on the culture of the time, from their hairstyles to the types of currency used. While it does include characters like Jesus and John the Baptist, Samuel wants to try to focus on the more human elements of the Bible.
Due to its subject matter, many people, especially studio executives, were cautious about the film, mistakenly calling it a “faith-based movie” in the vein of Heaven is for Real and The Chosen. However, co-producer Jay-Z has reassured these people that religion makes up the background. Instead, the film is intended to focus on someone who “finds his faith through love and through wanting to become somebody in the world, which is the story of everybody.”
Starring Stanfield alongside Omar Sy, Benedict Cumberbatch, and James McAvoy, this biblical retelling will be released sometime in 2024 by Legendary Entertainment.
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