A new biblical-era epic film is coming to town starring Benedict Cumberbatch, LaKeith Stanfield and more

There’s a new biblical-era epic film in town and this one is about an everyman.

“The Book of Clarence” isn’t a book in the Bible; it’s the name of a Sony Entertainment film with a set release date of Jan. 12, 2024. It’s written and directed by Jeymes Samuel, whose credits include producing and directing Western films like “The Harder They Fall” and “They Die by Dawn.”

The film is set in 29 C.E., which is around the time of Jesus. The main character is named Clarence and he’s played by LaKeith Stanfield. The film is expected to detail how “Clarence may be full of doubt about the Messiah in the beginning,” but “he’s forced to find his faith as the story moves on,” Vanity Fair reported.

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In addition to Stanfield, the cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Babs Olusanmokun, Anna Diop, Omar Sy and others, according to IMDb.

Filmmaker Samuel told Deadline “The Book of Clarence” would be similar to films like “The Ten Commandments” or “Ben-Hur,” because it will show a storyline around the time of the Bible.

“I wanted to tell a Bible story about an everyman,” Samuel told Vanity Fair. “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.”

While faith isn’t always taken seriously on the big screen, “The Book of Clarence” is doing something different. “The film doesn’t make fun of religion or the biblical stories, but rather attempts to expand that world,” Vanity Fair reported.

It’s also coming during a time when movies and TV shows with faith-based content are having a moment. From “The Chosen” to “Jesus Revolution,” there’s proving to be a market for content with religious elements, especially when the story is still universal.

The story will have both religious and human elements that are universal, producer Jay-Z told Vanity Fair. “This story is about a young man who finds his faith through love and through wanting to be somebody in the world, which is the story of everyone.”

More details about the film are forthcoming.

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