It feels silly to explain why Netflix’s Leave the World Behind is a hit, because, well… of course it is. The film is based on Rumaan Alam’s novel of the same name—and we’re big fans of the author at Esquire. Starring Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Julia Roberts, and Myha’a Herrold, Leave the World Behind follows two families caught in the middle of an apocalyptic blackout.
After 141 minutes of suspense, we see New York erupt in smoke, as bombs land across the city. I won’t spoil too much, but it’s a big ol’ cliffhanger—and there’s nothing people love more than a mystery. Add a wildly inconclusive final scene—if you know, you know—you might be wondering if Netflix has any plans for a sequel to Leave the World Behind.
Unfortunately, Netflix hasn’t announced any plans to continue the story, but that might be for the best. Alam’s novel—where the characters reach a similar fate—is a standalone story I’m a purist, but wouldn’t it ruin Leave the World Behind to impose a tidy ending on such a wild story? The whole point of an apocalypse is that it breeds uncertainty! And when Roberts and Herrold’s characters see the destruction of New York City, the only thing they can do is watch. They don’t know what will happen next—and their guess is as good as ours.
In an interview with Collider, Sam Esmail, the film’s director, explained why he left the ending ambiguous.“I love movies where the end of the film is the beginning of a conversation, and when you answer all these questions [about what happens next] it closes the door on that,” he said. “For me, that robs the audience of something.”
I wouldn’t count on watching a Leave the World Behind sequel anytime soon—but we wouldn’t be surprised if Netflix continues the story. You can learn more about the movie and its twists and turns below.
Bria McNeal is a Manhattan based journalist who is patiently awaiting B5’s revival. When she’s not writing about all things entertainment, she can be found watching TV or trying to DIY something (likely, at the same time). Her work has appeared in NYLON, Refinery29, InStyle, and her personal newsletter, StirCrazy.
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