The Hits Keep Coming! BBC Films Now Planning Explosive Scientology Film After HBO Documentary — Inside Their Bombshell Project
Jan. 29 2015, Updated 12:13 p.m. ET
On the heels of HBO's critically acclaimed Scientology exposé, RadarOnline.com has learned that BBC Films will be releasing a documentary later this year on the organization and its controversial leader, David Miscavige. How will famous members John Travolta and Tom Cruise respond?
An insider told Radar, "BBC Films is working on a documentary on the Church Of Scientology and David Miscavige.”
"Re-enactments with actors playing Miscavige and other high ranking members will be included in the film,” the source revealed. "Former member, Marty Rathbun, David Miscavige's second in command, is also included."
The film will be released later this year, according to the insider.
According to a BBC Films brochure on the project, prominent documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux has been fascinated by the religion for the last ten years.
"One of the world's newest and most mysterious religions, that numbers Tom Cruise among its followers,” Scientology is “a scientific-seeming ‘technology,' which, if properly followed, is said to make the able more able,” the promotional material for the film states. "... A step-by-step path to spiritual freedom and personal growth, and just possibly super powers...On the face of it, who wouldn't be intrigued – even seduced – by this grand rhetoric?"
Alex Gibney's new HBO documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, may be the most titillating film to emerge from the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and is causing major headaches for the religion.
Released by HBO Documentary Films and set to air on the network later this year, Going Clear explores one of the most forbidden territories known to pop culture: the Church of Scientology.
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Going Clear paints an interesting and never-before-seen picture of Cruise's second marriage. It asserts that Kidman, a Catholic, persuaded Cruise to distance himself from the Church of Scientology throughout the 90s, despite Miscavige being a good friend and the best man for their wedding. Miscavige, reportedly enraged, then assigned Rathbun to encourage a split between the two, the film claims.
Miscavige allegedly hired a private investigator and wiretapped Kidman's phone while simultaneously keeping Cruise under careful watch, auditing his every move, according to the film. Rathbun says the church “re-educated” Cruise's adopted children, Connor and Isabella, to reject their mother and allow Cruise to reclaim custody.
The insider added, "Both film projects are asking very bold questions about the church that need to be answered."
The Church did not respond specifically to request for comment on the BBC Film, but a rep for the Church previously told Radar: "The Church of Scientology has not seen the film, but from what we do know, it is bigoted and filled with bald faced lies from discredited sources. The accusations made in the film are entirely false and alleged without ever asking the Church. As we stated in our NY Times ad, Alex Gibney's film is Rolling Stone/UVA redux. Mr. Gibney repeatedly refused to give the Church any of the allegations he intended to air. Contrary to his assertions, he did not ask to interview multiple Church representatives. The Church is committed to free speech. However, free speech is not a free pass to broadcast or publish false information."