More casting details about the highly anticipated The Harder They Fall follow-up as the film heads into production.
Jeymes Samuel’s feature debut, The Harder They Fall, was a massive success for Netflix, quickly becoming one of the platform’s most-streamed content in 2021. His follow-up, The Book of Clarence, is well underway in terms of production, and there’s high expectations for Samuel’s upcoming project. In October, it was announced that Omar Sy (Lupin) and Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta, The Harder They Fall) were brought on as the film’s leads with Stanfield playing the titular character, Clarence.
In a recent exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter, more casting details were shared.Alongside the film’s two leads, RJ Cyler (The Harder They Fall), Marvel’s Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Anna Diop (Nanny), David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard (Atlanta), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste have been confirmed as cast members in this production.Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin, Teyana Taylor (Coming 2 America), Babs Olusanmokun (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), Eric Kofi Abrefa (BMF), Nicholas Pinnock (Counterpart), BAFTA winner Micheal Ward (Empire of Light), Chase Dillon (The Harder They Fall), Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon) and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Avengers: Endgame) are also listed as cast members, rounding out the all-star lineup.The biblical epic began production Monday in Italy under Legendary Pictures.
Fans and critics have been on the edge of their seats for Jeymes Samuel’s return. The Harder They Fall's original plot transports viewers into a gritty, Afrocentric revenge western, starring Idris Elba and Jonathan Majors. The debut skyrocketed in popularity, beating out many heavy hitters in the competition to the top during its first week. It earned Samuel a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, further solidifying the multifaceted director as a filmmaker to watch.
The Harder They Fall is a testament to Samuel’s direction and ability to tell immersive and action-fueled stories. If his official filmmaking entry is any indicator of what's to come, audiences will be in for a ride with The Book of Clarence. Now that the casting news is out, more about the film’s plot should be revealed in the coming months. On Monday, Legendary provided the first taste of what viewers can expect from Samuel’s upcoming project. Per an official statement from their site, The Book of Clarence will revolve around the following:
Inspired by classic Hollywood epics set in biblical times, The Book of Clarence tells the tale of “Clarence,” a down on his luck denizen of Jerusalem embarks on a misguided attempt to capitalize on the rise of celebrity and influence of the Messiah for his own personal gain. It is a journey that leads him on an exploration of the idea of faith and to a highly unexpected path of his own.
Additionally, Samuel has provided a few breadcrumbs about his upcoming feature as well. In an interview with Deadline, he mentions that Clarence is set in 29 A.D. and shares similarities to other great biblical epics, such as The Ten Commandments to The Greatest Story Ever Told, Samson and Delilah, and Ben-Hur. Samuel reprises his roles as director, producer, writer of the original screenplay, and composer. Tendo Nagenda, James Lassiter, and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter are all rejoining Samuel on this project as producers with this collaboration marking their second Samuel film together. Garrett Grant (The Matrix Resurrections, Hairspray) serves as executive producer. The film is one of the first under a new distribution partnership between Legendary and Sony Pictures and will be released theatrically.
Shakilya is a longtime writer, but has been freelancing since 2018. She is a diehard anime fan, horror enthusiast, and afrofuturist who enjoys intersecting Blackness in her work. She's also a NYC film festival curator.
Jeymes Samuel's The Book of Clarence Gets New Names Added to an Already Heavy Hitting Ensemble Cast – MovieWeb
