Viewers think the Obamas sent a hidden message in Netflix thriller 'Leave the World Behind'

The dystopian Netflix thriller Leave the World Behind has sparked discussions online, particularly about how the Obamas were involved with the project.

Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Myha'la Jael Herrold and Kevin Bacon all star in the film which was released on the streaming platform on November 22.

Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail wrote directed, and produced the film which is based on the 2020 book by Rumaan Alam.

According to the plot synopsis, Leave the World Behind is about a family who go to Long Island for a holiday when two strangers turn up during a blackout.

As a result of the technology glitches where TV and phones no longer working and airplanes crashing, the two families have to figure out how to survive as the world collapses around them.

A still from the Netflix film 'Leave the World Behind' released last monthNetflix

Theories are suggested by the characters as to what is causing this to happen such as a government conspiracy, hackers, or the US being at war.

The film was produced by Higher Ground, the production company founded in 2018 by former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama and it's the company's first feature film.

While the Obamas were also executive producers on the movie, Esmail discussed their involvement with Vanity Fair and said they suggested some of his potential plot points were "too bleak or unlikely to happen".

“In the original drafts of the script, I definitely pushed things a lot farther than they were in the film, and President Obama, having the experience he does have, was able to ground me a little bit on how things might unfold in reality,” Esmail said.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle close the Obama Foundation Summit together on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology on October 29, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois.Netflix and Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

This fact has led to viewer conspiracy theories that the Obamas are trying to communicate a message with the film.

He also noted how the former president had "a lot [of] notes about the characters and the empathy we would have for them."

One viewer wrote: "Is no one concerned that the Obamas are trying to tell us something with leave the world behind????????"

"No cus why was Obama an executive producer on Leave the World Behind and now we have billionaires making bunkers…. What is going on omg," another person said, referring to a report that Mark Zuckerberg is building an underground bunker in his Hawaii home.

Someone else added: "The movie Leave the World Behind is definitely a message to what’s happening and what’s to come.

"It’s very much in line with what we’ve been saying for years: Stock up on none perishables and water. Also, the fact that the Obamas are exec prod’ers is making my dog ears go up."

Leave the World Behind is available to watch on Netflix.

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