The Book of Clarence will not only feature D’Angelo and Jay-Z, but it will also include contributions from Doja Cat, Lil’ Wayne, Kodak Black, Buju Banton, Kid Cudi, Shabba Ranks, Jorja Smith, Adekunle Gold and Yemi Aladae among others. The concise, 11-track LP is expected to hit streaming services on Friday, January 12, 2024.
The Jeymes Samuel-directed film is also expected to arrive in theaters on Friday, January 12, 2024. The biblical feature stars LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, James McAvoy, Claeb McLaughlin, Teyana Taylor, Benedict Cumberbatch and David Oyelowo.
“Struggling to find a better life, Clarence is captivated by the power of the rising Messiah and soon risks everything to carve a path to a divine existence,” the film’s synopsis reads.
Early reviews of the film have been fairly positive. As fans wait to receive the feature, critics have provided an 86% approval on Rotten Tomatoes through the early going.
“Biblical cinema could use more messengers with Samuel’s eccentricity and daring, alive to the limitations and biases that have hitherto made for such a stylistically uniform genre,” Guy Lodge of Variety wrote.
As the weekend nears, The Book of Clarence will go toe-to-toe with Mean Girls and The Beekeeper for first place at the box office during their respective opening weekends. Early projections from Box Office Pro put the Sony Pictures release at second or third place with $7-$15 million during opening weekend while Mean Girls is expected to generate anywhere from $20-$40 million. However, The Beekeeper could be within striking distance with a projection of $8-$13 million during opening weekend.
