Biblical epics are a genre of films that have always been cinematic in scope, and writer/director Jeymes Samuel’s The Book of Clarence is no exception. Slated to debut on the 2024 movie release schedule, this film is a story of what happens when LaKeith Stanfield’s Clarence goes from biblical fraud to true hero. It’s as colorful and spectacular as you’d think based on the first trailer released for the director’s follow-up to The Harder They Fall.
Sony Pictures dropped the first footage of this all-star adventure, which introduces us to Clarence. As he hears of Jesus’ feats of wonder, our protagonist wants in on that fortune and glory himself. So he enlists some friends to help him perform “miracles,” and it’s not too long before the Romans find out about this. However, instead of punishing him, the imposing Pontius Pilate (James McAvoy) give Clarence an offer: either give up Jesus or suffer for his own sins.
In concept alone, The Book of Clarence sounds like a tale adjacent to a more faith-based blockbuster’s tone. But as it’s presented in the first reel we’ve seen above, Jeymes Samuel is telling a story that’s definitely reverent of its source material, while also presenting a modern spin on what we’re seeing.
Also, from what we know about The Book of Clarence, there’s a killer cast that includes Alfre Woodard, Anna Diop, David Oyelowo and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. With a roster such as that, it only further supports Jeymes Samuel’s intentions to give us a big screen blockbuster with this new project.
He even further spells that message out in a special introduction to the film, which Sony also provided when releasing The Book of Clarence’s trailer. Here’s part of what Jeymes had to say to that point:
As a storyteller, I want to give audiences something they've never seen before. I want a deeper understanding of the historical context that has helped shape our beliefs. And as an entertainer, I want to show you a wickedly dope time. Where those three points intersect is The Book of Clarence, a cinematic extravaganza 2000 years in the making.
When Jeymes Samuels’ The Harder They Fall released onto the Netflix platform in 2021, star Idris Elba’s “optimistic” remarks about how the movie showed that while there has been movement in putting more black leads on the screen, there’s still a lot of work to be done. The Book of Clarence appears to be a pretty impressive step on the path to pushing for more stories from people of color on the grand stage, and with audiences being able to read from the book themselves in theaters!
If you’re looking forward to The Book of Clarence, make sure to pencil it into your movie calendar for January 12, 2024. Though while we’re waiting, don’t forget to double check the 2023 movie release schedule in case there’s something you may have missed for the more immediate future.
