Stitcher's 'Heaven's Gate' documentary podcast adapted for new HBO Max docuseries

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Oct 28, 2019, 15:55 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Stitcher's hit documentary podcast "Heaven's Gate" will be the basis for a four-part docuseries about the cult and its mass suicide, to be produced by CNN Originals.

The "Heaven's Gate" podcast tells, for the first time, the fascinating story behind the formation of the Heaven's Gate cult and its members' 1997 mass suicide, the largest in U.S. history. Through key interviews and original reporting, the podcast explores the evolution of an idealistic group whose members aspired to a better, more connected and spiritually meaningful life.

Now the 10-part documentary podcast series, hosted by Glynn Washington, will be adapted for TV audiences as part of HBO Max's first-ever CNN Originals program slate. HBO Max is a new streaming platform soon to be introduced by Warner Media.

"Two years since its initial launch, 'Heaven's Gate' remains an enduring hit within the Stitcher catalog," said Stitcher CEO Erik Diehn. "The tremendous success of this documentary podcast is a testament to the power of this medium to thoughtfully explore events that captivate people across the globe. We are thrilled that the original reporting for this series will serve as the framework for telling the story from behind the camera lens to reach even more engaged audiences."

The docuseries is directed by Clay Tweel and produced by Ross Dinerstein of Campfire, the film and television production company known for Netflix documentary series "The Innocent Man" and Emmy-nominated Netflix Originals series "Special." It is executive produced by Stitcher's Peter Clowney, Erik Diehn, Eric Spiegelman and Chris Bannon.

The "Heaven's Gate" podcast was produced by Jenna Weiss-Berman and Max Linsky from Pineapple Street Studios, in collaboration with Stitcher's Peter Clowney and Chris Bannon.

Listen to "Heaven's Gate" on Stitcher.

About Stitcher

Stitcher is the best place to listen to, produce and monetize podcasts. The Stitcher app, available for iOS and Android devices, is one of the world's most popular podcast listening platforms, with a growing network of original content and a premium subscription service. Stitcher is the parent company of Midroll Media, the leading podcast advertising network representing over 200 of the world's largest podcasts, and top-ranked comedy podcast network Earwolf. With offices in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, Stitcher was founded in 2007 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company