Strange patterns, scary truths, and paranoia are the name of the game in the teaser trailer for Sam Esmail's mysterious feature, Leave the World Behind.
The apocalyptic thriller from the Mr. Robot mastermind, who writes and directs here, follows Amanda (Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Ethan Hawke), who rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie).
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/kLpuL3OsUDrwgdZhyOk2MxeS9xs=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/leave-the-world-behind-09292337-35ff0d72464d4da4b0f509feead118ae.jpg)
As shown in the teaser, below, their vacation is soon upended when two strangers — G.H. (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la) — arrive in the night, dressed to the nines and bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack, while seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs.
Things seem to go from bad to worse, as Ali ominously tells the family things like "there is no going back to normal" and "the truth is much scarier." He also teases, "In my line of work, you have to understand the patterns that govern the world. It can help you see the future."
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/bgRGNYqD79Ysh9MSYTEpJxq1s8I=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Leave_the_World_Behind_n_01_04_31_12_f-57988aa5a4fb44f79503d53df6c59c31.jpg)
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/hORnjFzEWBu7nmgE6_LTPY34Ef0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Leave_the_World_Behind_n_00_31_26_08-4aaaa8ee564846e5ab575f31ac270ffa.jpg)
Per the official synopsis, after the newcomers' arrival, the two families "reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world." The trailer also peeps Kevin Bacon, who seems to be playing some sort of doomsday prepper who believes "we've all been deserted."
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/95i-WUEFlgN1PKUg7kMcQaEslLk=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Leave_the_World_Behind_n_00_14_02_08-b498b76e1de843e48f98ed0f2f4dd605.jpg)
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/5VmANarKioqvbqcr6RgJToaZAEQ=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Leave_the_World_Behind_n_00_19_44_22_f-96b29371bb21418db25a8504d4043dc8.jpg)
Based on the National Book Award-nominated novel by Rumaan Alam of the same name, Leave the World Behind is produced by Esmail Corp, Red Om Films, and executive-produced by Higher Ground Productions.
Leave the World Behind will be in select theaters Nov. 22 and world premieres on Netflix Dec. 8. Watch the trailer about and see more images from the film below.
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/V-SOqH7g088BfqW4wNJXe7FCGSo=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Leave_the_World_Behind_n_01_05_36_03_f-abf62a4a51d94493b0fa6f8dc5632b15.jpg)
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/ygKQImSZVr40RpQeWxqiqK0gorI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Leave_the_World_Behind_n_00_56_30_09-4fadcf91ce09427c8dd5ca367bf20429.jpg)
![LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Writer/Director Sam Email and Julia Roberts. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX](https://ew.com/thmb/rTKSFWjrbZ4QqDs2l5JsiZparEc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/leave-the-world-behind-09292336-2eb940b50f814354aac5ede5de7dded7.jpg)
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