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Jeymes Samuel’s latest film hits theaters this January.
LaKeith Stanfield is tackling one of the foundational genres in film: the biblical epic. In the new trailer for “The Book of Clarence,” fans get a look at the latest film from Jeymes Samuel starring Stanfield, Alfre Woodard, David Oyelowo and more.
The upcoming film and Samuel’s second feature centers on Clarence, played by Stanfield. Set during the time of Jesus Christ, Clarence is described as “streetwise but struggling,” hoping to carve out a better life for himself and his family while also proving he is “not a nobody.”
“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, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge,” per the official film synopsis in Slash Film.
“I need to figure out what inspires him … I can just replicate what he does,” Clarence says in the trailer as he plots his attempt to impersonate Jesus Christ. “Imagine the money people will give us.”
The film boasts a star-studded cast, with Omar Sy, Anna Diop, Micheal Ward, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch joining Stanfield, Woodard and Oyelowo.
The fresh take on the biblical film also fuses epic landscapes with modern music from acts such as Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi and even Samuel himself.
Check out the trailer below:
As theGrio previously reported, Samuel opened up to Deadline in 2022 about his latest film, breaking down his inspirations.
“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.”
“The Book of Clarence” debuts on Jan.12, 2024, in theaters.
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