Netflix sci-fi mind-bender Leave the World Behind is a psychological thriller that has some great talent on show. The film was written and directed by Sam Esmail who seems to be right at home with the material, and was based on a novel of the same name by Rumman Alam. The film stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Bacon, and Mahershala Ali and follows a family on vacation on Long Island who encounters two strangers — the owners of the property — with cryptic news of an imminent crisis. The film focuses on atmosphere and tone, embracing the slow burn of the plot and allowing the film to breathe. With this in mind the production maintained a small scale, and Leave the World Behind was filmed in only a handful of locations to maintain the tight feel of the narrative and the authenticity of the story’s setting.
Where was Leave the World Behind filmed?
Long Island
With the film taking place in Long Island, it was no surprise that the crew would stay authentic to the setting, with a lot of the filming taking place there. The perfect opportunity would arise when the production team found a house in Long Island that was remarkably similar to the home in the novel, where the two families stayed to sit out the crisis.
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The location scout had noticed the Open Corner House online, and suddenly realised it would be perfect for the movie they were making. The house was designed by Up Studios and was created by the company in 2019 for a young family. Up would receive a call from the production team looking to hire the home, and managed to work closely with the film crew and the family that owns the house, allowing filming to happen. Up would also work with the set builders on the movie, recreating huge aspects of the house on a sound stage for filming purposes that they could not do in the real home.
The house designed for the movie by Up Studios | Image via Netflix
Katonah, New York
With the scope of the film staying small, not a lot of location work outside of the house was required, however, there were reports of some of the cast and crew in Katonah, New York. A report on Lohud would confirm that filming took place on Todd Road in Katonah, and the production team would establish a base camp in a parking lot in nearby Goldens Bridge.
Leave the World Behind Production Timeline
A rough timeline of the production on Leave the World Behind is as follows:
- In 2020, bidding for the rights to the book would begin, and competition was fierce. Netflix emerged victorious, outbidding the likes of MGM.
- In September 2021, casting for the film began.
- In January 2022, the casting was finalized.
- In April 2022, filming began.
- On October 25, 2023, the movie had a premiere leading to a limited theatrical run.
- On December 8, 2023, Leave the World Behind debuted on Netflix.
Who directed and produced Leave the World Behind?
The film was directed and produced by Sam Esmail, who you will remember from the award-winning 2015 cult TV series Mr Robot. Esmail created the fan-favorite anti-establishment series starring Freddy Mercury clone and rubbish Bond villain Rami Malek, but he has also been involved with many other projects that appear to have been eclipsed by his work on Mr. Robot. It has been rumored that Esmail’s company may be involved in a reboot of Battlestar Galactica.
Other producers on Leave the World Behind include Chad Hamilton, Lisa Gillan, Marisa Yeres Gill, and one of the stars of the movie, Julia Roberts. Roberts had previously worked with Esmail on the Prime Video series Homecoming.
