Jeymes Samuel and LaKeith Stanfield, who previously teamed up for their twist on the western genre with The Harder They Fall, reunited to take on the biblical epic, The Book of Clarence.
Biblical tales have been a part of Hollywood since its earliest days, with the likes of Ben-Hur (made on three separate occasions), The Ten Commandments and The Passion of the Christ among the classic examples, while The Last Temptation of Christ and Noah took a different spin on things. Seems safe to bet The Book of Clarence will fall in line with the latter.
Here is everything that we know about The Book of Clarence.
How to watch The Book of Clarence
The Book of Clarence is currently available via digital on-demand platforms in the US.
The Book of Clarence plot
The Book of Clarence is an original idea written by Jeymes Samuel. Here is the official synopsis:
"From visionary filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Biblical-era epic. Streetwise but down-on-his-luck, Clarence is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out."
The Book of Clarence cast
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Playing the titular Clarence is LaKeith Stanfield. After making a critically acclaimed debut in Short Term 12, Stanfield has notably starred in Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, Uncut Gems, Knives Out, Judas and the Black Messiah (which he earned an Oscar nomination for), The Harder They Fall and all four seasons of Atlanta. He most recently starred in Haunted Mansion.
The rest of The Book of Clarence cast features some pretty recognizable actors as well, including Omar Sy (Lupin), Anna Diop (Titans), RJ Cyler (Rap Sh!t season 1), David Oyelowo (Selma), Michael Ward (Empire of Light), Alfre Woodard (See), Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One), Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things), Eric Kofi-Abrefa (BMF), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Surface), James McAvoy (His Dark Materials) and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog).
The Book of Clarence trailer
Get to know Clarence and the potentially blasphemous trouble he's getting himself into with The Book of Clarence trailer directly below.
A second trailer was also shared, which you can watch right here:
The Book of Clarence reviews
What to Watch's The Book of Clarence review is in, which you can read to find out why we feel the movie is a "bold vision" that successfully brings a fresh feel to the biblical epic genre.
Other reviews for The Book of Clarence are in via Rotten Tomatoes, where the movie has a 68% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Jeymes Samuel movies
Jeymes Samuel had his big break in Hollywood with 2021's The Harder They Fall, but he actually directed one other feature movie all the way back in 2013, the little-seen They Die by Dawn. Samuel also directed a short film featuring rapper Jay-Z, titled Jay-Z: Legacy.
Before becoming a filmmaker, Samuel was best known as a musician by the name The Bullits. In fact, he is contributing new music to The Book of Clarence, as is his one-time film subject Jay-Z (who is also a producer on the movie).
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Michael Balderston
Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.
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