Barack and Michelle Obama were executive producers of the 2023 Netflix film Leave the World Behind. The film is an adaptation of the Rumaan Alam novel, which was one of Barack Obama's favorite books.

Script Consultation: Director Sam Esmail revealed that Barack Obama provided extensive notes on the script, particularly regarding the cyberattack and disaster elements, to ensure a degree of realism based on his experience as president.

Esmail noted that some of Obama's suggestions even "scared the f*ck out of me" because of how plausible they were.

Focus on Themes: According to Esmail, Obama's notes also focused on character development, empathy, and capturing the novel's themes of mistrust and societal collapse, rather than just the technical aspects.

Debunking Conspiracy Theories: Obama's involvement occurred after the script was written. The director clarified this in response to various online conspiracy theories that suggested the film was a secret warning from the former president about future real-world events.

The film, starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke, explores themes of race, class, and the breakdown of society during a mysterious national blackout. You can watch the film on Netflix.