Sam Esmail’s Leave The World Behind is a classic apocalyptic thriller that revolves around a time when technology no longer works the way it’s supposed to, leading to a series of cataclysmic events. This 141-minute-long film stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, and Mahershala Ali in the lead roles.
Leave The World Behind is set in modern times, where a family of four decides to go on a spontaneous vacation in Long Island. After renting out a stunning house for the holidays, the Sandfords are confused when they are approached by two strangers claiming that they are the real owners of the house.
The Sandford vacation took a grim turn after blackouts started happening everywhere, and the internet was no longer available to use. Cyberattacks, deer showing up in herds, people dying due to radiation, and Leave The World Behind is filled with such spine-chilling horrors throughout its run.
Obama is an executive producer of the series, but despite the star-studded cast and good pacing, Leave The World Behind didn’t have a good reception. It does, however, have creepy yet stunning filming locations that just go perfectly with the atmosphere of this Sam Esmail film.
Leave The World Behind: Filming Locations
Inspired by Rumaan Alam’s books, the Julia Roberts starring film takes place in a faraway mansion on Long Island. Just as the story of the book and the movie goes, the Netflix crew arrived in Long Island back in April 2022 to start production of the psychological thriller.
Long Island is one of the most densely populated Islands in New York State. Lying towards the Southeastern region, this island became a popular location due to former President Theodore Roosevelt and his family members. Now filled with fun beaches and restaurants, Long Island is a great place to visit when in New York State.
The stunning natural landscapes and pristine blue waters also attract thousands of tourists every year, which is why the Sandfords decided to choose Long Island as the place to spend their much-needed escape from the hectic city life.
The actual mansion where the Sandfords started living was a house called Open Corner, built in 2019 by The Up Studio. This huge mansion is located near the Old Westbury village in Long Island. Since it is a private residence, this village mansion couldn’t be used for movie production full-time.
While the exteriors and some interior scenes were shot in Open Corner, Netflix also recreated a copy of the house at the Grumman Studios located in Bethpage, New York, to continue filming without any issues. Well-known films like The Amazing Spider-Man have been filmed at the Grumman Studios.
Long Island itself is not new to being a filming spot, as productions like The Gilded Age, American Horror Story, The Sopranos, and Succession were shot right here on the Island.
The market scenes with Amanda were shot at Cherry Lawn Farm, located at 815 Weaver St., New Rochelle, NY. This family-owned business has been running ever since 1936 and features tons of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other food.
The Cherry Lawn Farm would be the best place to run to in case of an apocalypse, so the man wasn’t wrong. The F.D. Roosevelt State Park, located 40 miles away from NYC, also made it into Leave The World Behind. The creepy forest scenes from the Netflix film were shot here.
Riverhead, a picturesque town in Long Island, was also included in the movie. Located on the north shore side, this town has many fun places to visit, like the Aquarium, the Splish Splash Water Park, and the Big Duck landmark. Another nearby place that made it into Leave The World Behind is Kings Park, a hamlet in Smithtown, Suffolk County.
The Todd Road in Katonah was also seen in some of the shots. Katonah is a hamlet, too, and has also served as a filming location for The Bell Jar, Headspace, Fourteen, and The Flying Scissors.
The Taney Farms were shot at the Wading River Hamlet in Long Island. Those looking for a rural feel or a cozy, secluded place to live would love Wading River. The Lloyd Harbor village in Long Island is where the Huxley House was situated.
Although the movie may make all locations seem cohesive and similar, various diverse filming spots had to be used to create the perfect atmosphere for this psychological thriller.
Leave The World Behind is now available to stream on Netflix.
