A staggering number of new cast members have been confirmed to join Legendary Pictures’ The Book of Clarence, a follow-up to writer, director, composer and producer, Jeymes Samuel’s success on his 2021 BAFTA-winning feature debut, The Harder They Fall.

Academy Award nominee, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Golden Globe Award nominee, James McAvoy have signed on for the new film to be led by LaKeith Stanfield and Omar Sy. In an interview with Deadline, Samuel previously described The Book of Clarence as inspired by biblical epics such as The Ten Commandments, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Samson and Delilah, and Ben-Hur.

Alfre Woodard (12 Years A Slave), Anna Diop (Titans TV series), David Oyelowo (Chaos Walking), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (2014’s Robocop), and Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) have also joined Stanfield and Sy in the production. McLaughlin previously starred in Concrete Cowboy with Idris Elba, the villain of Samuel’s The Harder They Fall. Another Samuel alum is Chase Dillon the younger version of Nat Love, the main protagonist of the film. RJ Cyler, who also appeared in Samuel's debut feature, has also been tapped to join The Book of Clarence.

James McAvoy as Lord Asriel in His Dark Materials
Image via HBO

RELATED: The Best Westerns on Netflix Right Now

BAFTA winner Micheal Ward (Small Axe), Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon) Babs Olusanmokun (Black Mirror), Eric Kofi Abrefa (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Teyana Taylor (Coming 2 America), Nicholas Pinnock (Fortitude TV Series), and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Avengers: Endgame) have also been added to the roster for the upcoming film. The project will see the film's director reunite with his previous collaborators James Lassiter, Tendo Nagenda and Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter.

With Stanfield leading the pack, set during the time of Jesus, the story will follow Clarence of Jerusalem who seeks opportunities in the wrong places. With unexpected turns to his story, his journey will lead him to exciting adventures that force him to explore what is within himself. Sy (Netflix’s Lupin) co-stars with Stanfield in the film. No details about his character have been released at this time.

An artist's sophomore project ⁠— particularly after a critically acclaimed debut ⁠— is always highly anticipated as curiosity over the artist's longevity is usually at its peak. Should the Book of Clarence match The Harder They Fall's reception, Samuel will be on the path to delivering unique and very entertaining projects in the industry,

Be sure to check back with Collider for more details on The Book of Clarence. In the meantime, check out the trailer of Samuel’s smash hit, The Harder They Fall below: