Julia Roberts joined Mahershala Ali and other great actors to bring to life Leave the World Behind, the post-apocalyptic drama directed by Sam Esmail, who was also responsible for Mr. Robot and Homecoming.
The story is based on the novel of the same name by author Rumaan Alam, published in 2020, and Netflix acquired its rights three years later. It had its major streaming premiere in November 2023.
Myha’la Herrold, Kevin Bacon and Ethan Hawke complete the main cast, as they try to make sense of the gradual collapse of phones, television and other technologies, all pointing towards a potential cataclysm.
How to watch Leave the World Behind on streaming
Leave the World Behind is a Netflix original production, so it is currently available in the streaming giant’s catalog. After its release, it managed to establish itself as the most-watched movie for a period.
The story follows the Sanford family, who embark on a dream vacation in a beach house on the outskirts of the Big City, but their plans quickly change, and their lives are filled with chaos.
All of this happens after a massive blackout. Without the internet, the family must interact to figure out what is happening, and they encounter the owner of the house, but the world’s imbalance escalates abruptly.
After its success on the global or U.S. service, many viewers wondered if there could be a sequel, but this has not been confirmed by the production company yet.
In case Netflix decides to bet on the story starring the four A-list actors again, the plot should pick up from when Rose starts watching Friends, while everyone outside is struggling for their lives.
Why Leave the World Behind is trending?
Netflix‘s production became a trend on social media, especially on X, due to the number of people associating the movie with other popular hashtags on February 22, like #noservice.
One of them was US Cellular, which was linked to AT&T and Verizon, as it was reported that there were 3 cellphone networks down. Memes quickly surfaced, and many users were discussing the film’s plot.
The companies experienced a service outage, leaving millions of people without communication, prompting many to think about post-apocalyptic situations, much like in Leave the World Behind.