The Big Picture

LaKeith Stanfield plays the protagonist in The Book of Clarence, a movie that explores a normal man’s perspective on Jesus’ life. Clarence is burdened with financial issues and sees joining Jesus and the apostles as an opportunity for recognition and profit. The film, produced by Jay-Z and featuring a star-studded cast, aims to offer a new perspective on biblical figures and tells a tale about faith in love.

Two thousand years ago, a man would change the course of the history of humanity. But what would it be like to live in the same town as Jesus? The Book of Clarence tries to answer that question, with Jeymes Samuel’s latest project exploring the idea of a man watching Jesus’ rise to power and fame from the sidelines. Vanity Fair has just released the first official look at the project, with LaKeith Stanfield playing the titular character in a small collection of images. While this character wasn’t a person who can be found in the Bible, the movie will bring a new perspective to the events told in it.

The curious thing about Stanfield’s protagonist is the fact that he doesn’t really believe in Jesus by the time the movie begins. Burdened with financial issues because of his gambling habit, Clarence has no idea of how to survive. But when he sees the influence Jesus and the apostles have on the rest of the town, he comes up with the idea of joining their ranks to gain recognition. But this would turn out to be way harder than Clarence could’ve predicted, and Samuel will dive deep into the head of someone who doesn’t see Jesus as a sign of change for humanity, but as an opportunity to turn a profit.

The supporting cast of The Book of Clarence will include a lot of recognizable names, including Omar Sy, Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy, with Samuel taking his time with his twist on several notable figures for the bible. Audiences will have to wait until January of next year to enjoy the film in theaters, with the story of the charming individual having the intent of being recognized as a tale about faith in love. There’s no telling what techniques Clarence will use to join a very exclusive group of people, but whatever it turns out to be, it’ll be based on his intelligence and charisma.

Image via Apple TV+

LaKeith Stanfield’s Spooky Year
Before he can play a wholesome character who’s trying his best to become someone in life, LaKeith Stanfield had to face several ghosts and monsters in some of his recent projects. In this summer’s Haunted Mansion, the performer portrayed Ben, a man capable of tracking ghosts with a special camera. Ben had to help Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) to escape the curse that kept her in her house. On the other hand, Stanfield will star in The Changeling, a television series following a couple who are cursed after an unconventional encounter during a vacation trip.

You can check out the new images from The Book of Clarence below, before the movie opens in theaters on

January 12: