The Book of Clarence is set to hit theatres on Friday (Jan. 12), and it’s a biblical comedy-drama-film written and directed by Jeymes Samuel. And if it was up to Samuel, he would remake The Ten Commandments with a Black-led cast. The 44-year-old director told The Wrap that The Ten Commandments is something he is very interested in developing.
“None story so cinematic as The Ten Commandments, ‘Let my people go!’” he’s said. “I want to do The Ten Commandments. Give me The Ten Commandments and I will show you the meaning of cinema.” Samuel also told The Wrap he’s only shared the idea with a”couple of studios” and hopes to include some talented Black actors.
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“I believe everyone should be in that movie. Everyone — Mahershala Ali, Idris Elba, Regina King, Denzel Washington, LaKeith Stanfield, everyone needs to be in that movie,” Samuel revealed. “Not that I was considering it while I was making The Book of Clarence. I’m a storyteller, when you get the idea for a story…ideas are real things. They come to you for a reason, right? When you get an idea, it’s actually a living, breathing entity — as fully formed as a heartbeat. Everything, any idea, it comes to you to be realized. So I didn’t question whether I was going to make The Book of Clarence or not, but there’s other stories in the Bible I want to, not tackle, but I want to do.”
The Ten Commandments was released in theatres in 1956 and starred Charlton Heston as Moses. The film was a huge hit for Paramount Pictures, making $122.7 million at the box office and earning seven Academy Award nominations, including one win for Best Special Effects. The Ten Commandments is normally shown on television during Easter.
The Book of Clarence stars LaKeith Stanfield as Clarence, a man living in A.D. 33 looking to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ by claiming to be the new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt. The movie also stars Omar Sy, Anna Diop, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Alfrie Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch. The Book of Clarence is receiving strong reviews from critics, earning an 89 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
