‘Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults’ Trailer: HBO Max Documentary Examines Infamous UFO Cult

Tyler Hersko
·2 min read

‘Tis the season for UFO death cults. HBO Max has unveiled the trailer for “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults,” an upcoming documentary that will premiere December 3 on the streaming service.

Per WarnerMedia, the docuseries is a thorough examination of the infamous UFO cult through the eyes of its former members and loved ones. What started in 1975 with the disappearance of 20 people from a small town in Oregon, ended in 1997 with the largest suicide on U.S. soil and changed the face of modern New Age religion forever. “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” uses never-before-seen footage and first-person accounts to explore the infamous UFO cult that shocked the nation with their out-of-this-world beliefs.

All four episodes of the docuseries will premiere Thursday, December 3. The first episode of “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” will be available to stream for free on HBO Max’s website starting Friday, December 4.

The project is produced by CNN Original Studios and Campfire and directed and executive produced by Clay Tweel (“Gleason”). Additional executive producers include Campfire CEO Ross Dinerstein (“The Innocent Man”) and Shannon Riggs, Amy Entelis, and Lyle Gamm for CNN Original Studios, with Chris Bannon, Eric Spiegelman, Peter Clowney and Erik Diehn executive producing for the digital media company Stitcher (“Heaven’s Gate” podcast, “Sold in America” podcast).

Tweel has directed a variety of other documentaries, including “The Innocent Man,” which centered on a man who was on Oklahoma’s death row for 11 years for a crime he did not commit, as well as “Out of Omaha,” which focused on twin black brothers who overcome systemic racism in Omaha, Nebraska.

“Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” will be the latest in a string of original documentaries that have premiered on HBO Max. Amy Schumer’s “Expecting Amy,” the streaming service’s first original docuseries, premiered in July, while “Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness” and “Equal” premiered in August and October, respectively. Several documentary films have also premiered on the streaming service, including the well-received “On the Record,” the politics-focused “On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries,” and “Class Action Park.”

Check out the trailer for “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” below:

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