The Harder They Fall filmmaker Jeymes Samuel’s sophomore feature, The Book of Clarence, is well and truly on its way. News comes from Deadline that the project has gained a new producing partner in Legendary and boarded another major star to lead the film: Omar Sy (Lupin, the upcoming The Killer remake) will be joining the previously-announced LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry To Bother You, Knives Out).
The film is an original project that Samuel wrote and will direct, produce and (excitingly, given the phenomenal soundtrack on his last movie) compose. Plot details are being kept under wraps, though we do know that it will be set during the Bible era, with Stanfield playing the titular Clarence.
Samuel previously shared some further details on the upcoming film: “You remember those biblical epics, whether they were about the Bible or just taking place around it, from The Ten Commandments to The Greatest Story Ever Told, Samson and Delilah and Ben-Hur, which runs alongside all that stuff in the Bible? As will be The Book of Clarence, a full fun-filled extravaganza. It’s written and ready to go, and set in 29 AD.”
He goes on to explain: “Firstly, the Bible’s the biggest franchise in the world. The biggest superhero, the most famous superhero of all time is Jesus himself. But when I used to learn about those things when I was a kid, I used to say to myself, “Where did Jesus buy his sandals from? Did he walk around barefoot? Did he buy his clothes or did people just say, “Hey Jesus, wear this?”… Where did Mary Magdalene get her hair done?.. The Bible just gives you bricks. But the mortar you’re meant to fill in yourself… The Book of Clarence is all of that stuff. It’s a really awesome, awesome, awesome tale.”
Samuel continues, calling The Book of Clarence “a wicked movie” (though one assumes, not literally). “What I’m looking for from you [the audience] in The Book of Clarence, is… the feeling you get when you first see the boulder chasing Indiana Jones. I promise, even the opening sequence, it’s such an original thing I’m doing with the opening sequence when the credits roll, and you’ll be eating your popcorn hopefully, and going, “I’ve never had this experience before.” It’s one of those. And you put Black people in there… I don’t want to give away too much. It’s going to be a really awesome, awesome movie.”
Expect further updates on Jeymes Samuel, Omar Sy, and LaKeith Stanfield’s The Book of Clarence soon.
