Kevin Bacon (“You Should Have Left”) has joined the cast of Julia Roberts’ “Leave the World Behind” at Netflix, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
Additionally, Farrah Mackenzie (“United States of Al”) has joined the project, rounding out the cast that includes Bacon, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la Herrold.
Sam Esmail, the creator of “Mr. Robot,” will both write the adaptation of Rumaan Alam’s novel and direct.
The logline for the film is as follows: A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a mysterious blackout. As the threat grows more imminent, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.
Producing are Sam Esmail and Chad Hamilton via their Esmail Corp, along with Julia Roberts, Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill producing through Red Om Films banner. Executive producers are Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis, Rumaan Alam, Esmail Corp’s Nick Krishnamurthy and Danny Stillman.
Since being published in October 2020, the novel has been A Read with Jenna Today Show Pick, a finalist for the 2020 National Book Awards, listed as one of Barack Obama’s Summer Favorites and named A Best Book of the Year from The Washington Post, NPR, Time, Esquire, Elle among others.
Kevin Bacon is one of the foremost actors of his generation. Bacon has starred in a wide range of film genres, from action thrillers to romantic comedies to heavy dramas, and even the occasional musical. Just some of Bacon’s film credits include John Hughes’ “She’s Having a Baby,” “The Big Picture,” “Tremors,” “Flatliners,” Oliver Stone’s “JFK,” Rob Reiner’s “A Few Good Men,” “The River Wild” for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination, “Murder in the First” for which he was named Best Actor by The Broadcast Film Critics Association and received Best Supporting Actor nominations from The Screen Actors Guild and the London Film Critics Circle, Ron Howard’s award-winning “Apollo 13,” Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award nominated film “Mystic River” and “The Woodsman” for which he received an IFP Spirit Award nomination.
Last year Bacon starred in the thriller movie, “You Should Have Left” alongside Amanda Seyfried. Bacon also ventured into the world of podcasts with Spotify and Funny or Die this year, releasing “The Last Degree of Kevin Bacon,” a scripted comedy podcast series in which Kevin satirized himself. Bacon can currently be seen in the hit Showtime series, “City on a Hill” opposite Aldis Hodge, which recently completed its second season and was renewed for season three, which will premiere this year. As well as starring in the show, Bacon serves as an executive producer and directed the first episode of the second season. Upcoming, Kevin will star alongside Travis Fimmel and Colson Baker, in the action thriller “One Way” and in Legendary’s reboot of “The Toxic Avenger.”
Mackenzie currently stars in CBS and Chuck Lorre’s hit sitcom, “United States of Al” which is airing its second season. She also starred in the Amazon Prime Video drama series, “Utopia” alongside Rainn Wilson and John Cusack. Additional credits include NBC television movies “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” and the Emmy-nominated “Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love,” Magnolia Pictures’ “Please Stand By” opposite Dakota Fanning and in Steven Soderbergh’s “Logan Lucky” alongside Channing Tatum and Katie Holmes.
Bacon is repped by MGMT, Viewpoint and Solomon Gaines. Mackenzie is repped by A3 Artists Agency, Luber Roklin Entertainment, Brecheen, Feldman, Breimer, Silver & Thompson, and Persona PR.