Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults

{{Infobox television

| image =

| image_size =

| genre = Documentary

| director = Clay Tweel

| writer =

| opentheme =

| country = United States

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 4

| music = David Wingo

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|

Clay Tweel
Ross Dinerstein
Shannon Riggs
Amy Entelis
Lyle Gamm
Chris Bannon
Eric Spiegelman
Peter Clowney
Erik Diehn

}}

| producer = Mark McCune

| cinematography = {{Plainlist|

Jeff Powers
Hilary Spera

}}

| editor = {{Plainlist|

Michelle M. Witten
James Leche
Giacomo Ambrosini

}}

| language = English

| runtime = 49-52 minutes

| company = {{Plainlist|

}}

| network = HBO Max

| released = {{Start date|2020|12|03}}

}}

Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults is an American documentary television miniseries revolving around the religious group Heaven's Gate and its leader Marshall Applewhite. It consists of four episodes and premiered on December 3, 2020, on HBO Max.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/11/heavens-gate-cult-cults-hbo-max-trailer-documentary-1234600632/|title='Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults' Trailer: HBO Max Documentary Examines Infamous UFO Cult|website=IndieWire|first=Tyler|last=Hersko|date=November 24, 2020|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126213122/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/11/heavens-gate-cult-cults-hbo-max-trailer-documentary-1234600632/|url-status=live}}

Synopsis

Told through the eyes of former members and loved ones of former members, the series follows Heaven's Gate and its leader Marshall Applewhite.{{cite web|url=https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/hbo-max/heavens-gate/hbo-max-debuts-official-trailer-max-original-heavens-gate-cult-cults-premiering-dec-3|title=HBO Max Debuts Official Trailer for Max Original "Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults," Premiering Dec. 3|website=WarnerMedia|date=November 24, 2020|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309044019/https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/hbo-max/heavens-gate/hbo-max-debuts-official-trailer-max-original-heavens-gate-cult-cults-premiering-dec-3|url-status=live}} The series included never before seen footage of the cult.{{cite web|url=https://decider.com/2020/11/24/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults-hbo-max-trailer-date-announcement/|title=HBO Max's 'Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults' Gets a Trailer and Release Date|website=Decider|first=Kayla|last=Cobb|date=November 24, 2020|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125011239/https://decider.com/2020/11/24/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults-hbo-max-trailer-date-announcement/|url-status=live}}

Episodes

{{Episode table |total_width= |background=#000000 |overall= |title= |titleR={{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults/listings/|title=Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults|website=The Futon Critic|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=May 3, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240503085023/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults/listings/|url-status=live}}|director= |airdate= |airdateR=|country=U.S. |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = The Awakening

|DirectedBy = Clay Tweel

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|3}}

|ShortSummary = Marshall Applewhite teaches his followers in Waldport, Oregon that the bodies of his followers can be transformed into perfected space aliens. This was called the "Next Level."

Reza Aslan characterizes Heaven's Gate as a millenarian group. Chariots of the Gods? had gained much publicity in the 1960s.

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = The Chrysalis

|DirectedBy = Clay Tweel

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|3}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = The Second Harvest

|DirectedBy = Clay Tweel

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|3}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = The Exit

|DirectedBy = Clay Tweel

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|3}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

Production

In October 2019, it was announced HBO Max had greenlit a 4-part documentary series following the Heaven's Gate with Clay Tweel set to direct and executive produce with CNN Original Studios and Stitcher set to produce the series.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/hbo-max-orders-heavens-gate-suicide-doc-alex-gibney-produced-series-on-fame-as-part-of-debut-cnn-slate-1202767874/|title=HBO Max Orders Heaven's Gate Suicide Doc & Alex Gibney-Produced Series On Fame As Part Of Debut CNN Slate|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Peter|last=White|date=October 24, 2019|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028062816/https://deadline.com/2019/10/hbo-max-orders-heavens-gate-suicide-doc-alex-gibney-produced-series-on-fame-as-part-of-debut-cnn-slate-1202767874/|url-status=live}}

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 86%.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/heavens_gate_the_cult_of_cults/s01|title=Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=December 6, 2020|archive-date=May 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503085512/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/heavens_gate_the_cult_of_cults/s01|url-status=live}} On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults/season-1|title=Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults|website=Metacritic|access-date=December 6, 2020|archive-date=December 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206175253/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults/season-1|url-status=live}}