Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington to star in upcoming thriller 'Leave The World Behind'

Hollywood stars Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington will reunite for Netflix upcoming thriller 'Leave The World Behind'.

The streaming giant has landed 'Leave the World Behind', an upcoming novel by Rumaan Alam. Sam Esmail - the creator of 'Mr. Robot' and 'Homecoming' - will write the adaptation and direct it.

The novel, which will reportedly be published this fall, follows a husband and wife as they head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation with their teenage son and daughter.  When the owners of the rental return in a panic one night after they say a sudden blackout has swept through the city, the couple aren't sure what to believe. With the TV and internet down and no cell service, the two families are forced into a tense living situation. Themes dealing with race, class, and parenthood are tackled.

Esmail had a strong relationship with Roberts after working together on series 'Homecoming'. And she, once piqued, sent the book to Washington.

Several major studio and streamers put in bids for the package, with it coming down to Netflix, Apple and MGM, each of which have spent the past several weeks vying for splashy packages, including Will Smith starrer Emancipation and George Miller's latest 'Three Thousand Years of Longing'.

Netflix ultimately prevailed for 'Leave The World Behind'. The deal is reportedly  approaching the financial numbers in the range similar to Apple’s deal for 'Emancipation', which was over $100 million.

Esmail will produce with his producing partner Chad Hamilton and their Esmail Corp. Robert will produce with her Red Om Films while Washington will also act as producer.