Marvel's Blade star Mahershala Ali is set to step into Denzel Washington's role for upcoming Netflix thriller Leave the World Behind.
Two-time Oscar winner Ali will join Julia Roberts in the movie, according to Deadline, which is adapted from the Rumaan Alam novel of the same name.
First announced last year, Leave the World Behind follows a married couple who set off on holiday with their teenage children to a remote corner of Long Island in need of some R&R.
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However, the family's peace is disrupted when the local area suffers a blackout and the owners of their rental home turn up unannounced.
Cut off from TV, internet and mobile phone access, the two groups' situation becomes increasingly intense as topics such as parenthood, class and race come up in conversation.
Washington was circling the role of the owner, which will now be filled by Ali, while Roberts is set to play the mother of the family staying at the property.
Related: Wesley Snipes addresses possible cameo in MCU's Blade reboot
Mr Robot's Sam Esmail is directing, though a filming date is unknown at the present time. Alam's original novel was only released in October last year and has since received acclaim.
As mentioned, Ali will play Blade for Marvel, a role originally made famous by Wesley Snipes, with Bassam Tariq set to direct.
Speaking recently, the director recently praised Snipes for his impact on the superhero genre, saying to IndieWire: "A Black man created the superhero world that we're in, that's just the truth.
"For me to now be working with somebody as talented and a juggernaut as Mahershala Ali, and the writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour, I'm just so – I'm so honored to be working with real Black juggernauts and Black talent.
"For me to just be with them in this room and listen and learn as I build this out, it's really an honor."
Leave the World Behind will stream on Netflix.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
