The HBO Original six-part documentary series The Anarchists, directed by Todd Schramke and produced by Blumhouse Television, debuts SUNDAY, JULY 10 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) with new episodes airing subsequent Sundays at the same time on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
In 2015, Jeff Berwick, a Canadian entrepreneur turned provocateur, launched a conference in Acapulco, Mexico in hopes of promoting anarchy in its purest form – an ideal espousing the absence of government with absolute individual self-rule. The event, called “Anarchapulco,” draws an international array of libertarians, fugitives, and families seeking to “unschool” their children to protect them from the bureaucracies of modern life, as well as crypto-currency evangelists and others attracted to the idea of creating a stateless community, free from governments and central banking systems.
Unfolding over six years, The Anarchists chronicles a strange and deadly series of events. What begins as an impulsive one-off gathering, turns into a full-on, annual event, growing in size and attracting sponsorship from crypto-currency companies featuring speakers such as Ron Paul and BitCoin evangelist Roger Ver. And when rule-avoidant freedom activists come together in one of the most dangerous cities in the world, utopian ideology collides with the unpredictability of human nature. Relationships are fractured, rivalries are forged and ultimately, lives are lost.
The Anarchists features candid, first-hand accounts from Berwick, the reluctant figurehead of the movement; anarchy activists Lisa and Nathan Freeman who left the United States with their children to find a freer life in Mexico; and John Galton and Lily Forester, American fugitives on the run from drug charges, among others.
BLUMHOUSE TELEVISION AND PAPER PICTURES DEVELOPING BEST-SELLING AUTHOR PAULA HAWKINS LATEST NOVELLA BLIND SPOT
On June 22nd, Blumhouse Television announced the company has acquired the rights to best-selling author Paula Hawkins’ latest novella, mystery-suspense thriller “Blind Spot” published earlier this year. Jason Blum’s indie television studio alongside Carla Hacken’s Paper Pictures is developing as a streaming feature; the search for talent is underway.
Blind Spot follows Edie, Jake and Ryan, friends with an unbreakable bond. Since childhood it’s been the three of them against the world. When Jake is brutally murdered and Ryan accused of the crime Edie - living in the remote house she and Jake shared - finds herself alone for the first time. Grief-stricken, she is also afraid that the past she tried so hard to leave behind will catch up to her - and with good reason. Someone is watching. Someone has been waiting for this moment. “I’m delighted that “Blind Spot” is destined for the screen, and I believe that in Blumhouse and Carla Hacken, I’ve found the perfect partners to adapt this dark, frightening, character-driven story,” said Paula Hawkins. “I’m a huge fan of Blumhouse’s perceptive and intelligent horror - Get Out and The Invisible Man in particular - and I’ve loved their TV adaptations, too - I thought Sharp Objects was outstanding.”
“I’ve been such a fan of Paula’s and from the moment I read this thoroughly gripping short story, I knew I wanted to make this movie with my friends at Blumhouse Television,” said Carla Hacken. “Blind Spot is ripe for Blumhouse to adapt. Paula’s captivating storytelling absorbs you into this taut, suspenseful world where the characters feel very real and the payoff hits,” said Chris McCumber, president of Blumhouse Television. Blumhouse Television and Paper Pictures are currently in post-production on writer/director John Lee Hancock’s Mr. Harrigan’s Phone starring Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell releasing Fall 2022 on Netflix.
TORN HEARTS - On Epix July 22nd and Now On Digital
Blumhouse Television and EPIX present the cautionary tale of a rise to stardom set in the iconic Nashville Country Music scene. Two friends, artists on the brink of a big break, will do just about anything to realize their dream – including a pilgrimage to the legendary and reclusive Harper Dutch's (Golden Globe winner Katey Sagal) mansion in the hopes she’ll record a song with them. While their life-long idol seems intent to help, the visit devolves into a twisted series of mental and physical torment as the pair discover Harper - and each other - may have other motives. The duo must go to dangerous lengths to prove their dedication to their dream of becoming Nashville's next country music stars.
UNHUMAN - On Epix in August and Now On Digital
Blumhouse Television and EPIX bring you the story of a high school field trip gone bloody awry. Seven misfit students must band together against a growing gang of unhuman savages. The group’s trust in each other is tested to the limit in a brutal, horrifying fight to survive and they must take down the murderous zombie-creatures… before they kill each other first.