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Who invented Bitcoin? That question has become a captivating mystery for the digital age along the lines of whatever happened to D.B. Cooper or who was Deep Throat in the Watergate scandal.

Documentarian Cullen Hoback thinks he has the answer. His new HBO documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” digs into the rise of crypto currencies and the effort to uncover the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the nom de plume used by the author of the 11-page white paper that set Bitcoin and the broader crypto craze in motion after it was distributed widely online on Oct. 31, 2008.

For Hoback, diving into crypto-mania was a natural segue after he probed the netherworld of the internet in his 2021 HBO docuseries “Q: Into the Storm.” That six-episode series posited a theory about the people who are fueling the dangerous and delusional theories peddled under the moniker of QAnon. Both “Q” and “Money...

Like a Bansky of the crypto world, little is known about Satoshi Nakamoto, the reputed creator of the digital currency Bitcoin. What’s his real name? What’s he worth? Who is he, really?

Director Cullen Hoback attempts to get to the bottom of Nakamoto’s identity in the HBO documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, a quest that takes him around the world. The film executive produced by Adam McKay will debut on HBO on Tuesday, October 8, and will be available to stream on Max. Watch the trailer below.

“In Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, intrepid filmmaker Cullen Hoback dives into one of the most enduring and high-stakes mysteries in technology and finance: the origins of Bitcoin and the identity of its anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto,” notes a synopsis. “More than a decade after Satoshi’s disappearance, Bitcoin now threatens to disrupt the global financial order, forcing nations to...

The new HBO documentary “Stopping the Steal” is set to premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. Et and takes viewers behind the scenes into the efforts by former President Trump to challenge the 2020 presidential election results. The film features interviews from former White House staff and appointees, including former Attorney General William Barr, as well as elected Republican officials in Arizona and Georgia. The Streamable recommends that you stream the doc with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.

How to Watch ‘Stopping the Steal’ When: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 at 9 p.m. Et TV: HBO Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month via amazon.com About Political Documentary ‘Stopping the Steal’

Recounted in detail by former staff members of the Trump Administration, Republican political appointees, and elected state officials, “Stopping the Steal” tracks the evolution of the movement to discredit the American election starting as early...

In an unexpected turn in the streaming sector, Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly discussing the possibility of licensing some of its original HBO content to competitor Netflix. The strategy diverges from the industry’s recent streaming strategy of hoarding content for their own direct-to-consumer services.

It’s not the first time HBO has explored syndication, with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” airing on TV Guide Network and “Entourage” on Spike. And from 2014 to 2018, HBO licensed shows to Amazon’s Prime Video. Still, it’s been years since an HBO original was available on a service not owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

The roster of HBO shows potentially heading to Netflix remains undisclosed, but according to recent reports, it includes high-profile titles such as “Insecure.” Until an actual deal is struck, we can only speculate on the HBO shows that align well with Netflix’s content catalog. Data from Parrot Analytics — which takes into account consumer research,...

HBO Original documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, directed by Emmy(R)-winning filmmaker James Adolphus (“Soul of a Nation”) and produced by Lena Waithe (“A Thousand and One”), Debra Martin Chase (“Harriet”), and Ben Selkow (HBO’s “Q: Into The Storm”), debuts Friday, May 26 (8:00-10:00 p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. The film made its world premiere at the 2023 SXSW Festival. With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her. Moore’s career broke boundaries in different eras, most notably in her comedic roles as Laura Petrie in the ’60s sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show...

HBO Original documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, directed by Emmy(R) winning filmmaker James Adolphus (“Soul of a Nation”) and produced by Lena Waithe (“A Thousand and One”), Debra Martin Chase (“Harriet”), and Ben Selkow (HBO’s “Q: Into The Storm”), debuts this May on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her. Moore’s career broke boundaries in different eras, most notably in her comedic roles as Laura Petrie in the ’60s sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and as single career woman Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the ’70s,...

HBO Original documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, directed by Emmy® winning filmmaker James Adolphus (“Soul of a Nation”) and produced by Lena Waithe (“A Thousand and One”), Debra Martin Chase (“Harriet”), and Ben Selkow (HBO’s “Q: Into The Storm”), debuts this May on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. Synopsis: With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her. Moore’s career broke boundaries in different eras, most notably in her comedic roles as Laura Petrie in the ‘60s sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and as single career woman Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the ‘70s,...

HBO Original documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, directed by Emmy® winning filmmaker James Adolphus (“Soul of a Nation”) and produced by Lena Waithe (“A Thousand and One”), Debra Martin Chase (“Harriet”), and Ben Selkow (HBO’s “Q: Into The Storm”), debuts this May on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Synopsis: With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.

Moore’s career broke boundaries in different eras, most notably in her comedic roles as Laura Petrie in the ‘60s sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and as single career woman Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the ‘70s,...

This article contains spoilers for Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence.

When news first broke in 2020 that a man named Larry Ray had been arrested for operating a sex cult at Sarah Lawrence College, the casual news observer could be forgiven for finding the ensuing headlines slightly humorous at first.

The existence of a hippie sex cult would be in keeping with some prevailing stereotypes attached to the prestigious college in Yonkers, New York. Originally a women’s institution of higher learning, Sarah Lawrence became coeducational in 1968 and has since developed a reputation for its wealthy, creative, socially liberal, and generally “out there” student body.

Of all the colleges in the United States, of course the libertines at Sarah Lawrence would be the ones to “yes and” themselves into a sex cult. But as more bits of information began to trickle out it began to become clear that...

HBO is bringing The Invisible Pilot to screens next month.

The premium cabler has confirmed a three-part documentary series by Emmy®-winning filmmakers Phil Lott and Ari Mark will bow Monday, April 4 (9:00-10:00 pm Et/Pt).

The Invisible Pilot "is a tale of a charismatic, daredevil husband and father who unexpectedly jumped off a bridge in 1977, despite a seemingly happy home life and a lucrative career as a pilot," according to the press release.

"His small-town Arkansas community searches for his body in vain while family and friends seek answers."

"Years later, a mysterious story emerges involving hypnosis, secret identities and a double life of dangerous missions and law-breaking."

"And that’s just the beginning…," the logline concludes.

From Adam McKay (HBO’s Succession and Q: Into The Storm) comes a labyrinthine story that begins in Hazen, Arkansas and ends up as part of one of the biggest political scandals of our time.

Exclusive: The January 6 assault on the US Capitol, considered the worst attack on democracy since the Civil War, will be the subject of a feature film scripted and to be directed by Billy Ray as his follow up to the highly rated Showtime miniseries The Comey Rule. Joining him on J6 is Adam McKay, who is in the Oscar hunt now for Don’t Look Up. McKay will produce along with Todd Schulman, Josh McLaughlin, Cullen Hoback and Shane Salerno, latter of whom was exec producer on the Jeff Daniel-Brendan Gleeson-starrer The Comey Rule. Deadline has confirmed that the script will be shopped to studios and streamers imminently, and that conversations with equity financiers have already begun.

Ray had originally expected to long look at the events of January 6 in the form of another limited series. Deeply affected by the attack, he traveled to Washington, D.C. within days of the siege,...

From RZA to Jon Favreau, artists, filmmakers, journalists and activists gathered on Aug. 26 for Variety‘s inaugural Truth Seekers Summit, in partnership with Rolling Stone and presented by Showtime Documentary Films.

The summit explored the art of documentary and investigative storytelling. Here are 10 takeaways from the two-day event.

RZA Was Inspired By Robert De Niro In Making His Series “Wu-Tang: An American Saga”

Speaking about the difficulties of writing about his own life and career in the format of a TV series, RZA said Robert De Niro helped him understand how to separate himself from the art.

“When I saw ‘Cape Fear,’ my brain clicked, because I’m such a fan of his,” RZA said. “I knew him from ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Goodfellas,’ and then here he was playing this psychopath. And he played it so brilliantly. It’s actually an artistic thing to separate yourself from art. I met Mr.

In a polarized and fractured society, the truth can be a subjective thing. In this panel, Rolling Stone Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief Andy Kroll talks to Vice journalist Anna Merlan (Republic of Lies), writer and producer Billy Ray (The Comey Rule), PBS News Hour White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor, former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, and writer and director Cullen Hoback (Q: Into the Storm) about how the challenges of presenting the truth have transformed in modern society, and why people have such a hard time exiting...

The inaugural Truth Seekers Summit brought together some of the brightest minds in filmmaking, music, and current events to speak on topics ranging from the impact of misinformation in media to the evolving language of documentary filmmaking. Co-hosted by Rolling Stone and Variety in partnership with Showtime, the summit featured panels, Q&a’s, and keynote discussions from marquee names in the world of documentary filmmaking. Check out 10 of the most thought-provoking moments from this week’s event.

Errol Morris on Breaking Rules

The dean of American documentary filmmaking Errol...

When Britney Spears’ father Jamie Spears agreed last week to step down as conservator of the pop star’s estate, it underscored the flexibility required of editors of nonfiction programs for which the story is still unfolding during postproduction.

That was the case for Geoff O’Brien and Pierre Takal, editors of FX on Hulu’s Framing Britney Spears (The New York Times Presents), who knew they might need to reinvent their story at any time. “The conservatorship momentum and hearings had already started,” Takal relates. “We didn’t know exactly how it was going to end, but ...

Exclusive: In competition, Apple has landed a multi-year, first-look deal for scripted feature films with Hyperobject Industries, the multi-platform production company from Oscar-winning writer/director/producer Adam McKay.

McKay brings a team that includes his longtime producer Kevin Messick and producers Betsy Koch and Todd Schulman. He formed Hyperobject Industries after McKay, Will Ferrell and Chris Henchy ended their long and fruitful Gary Sanchez partnership back in 2019. McKay has evolved from broad comedies including Step Brothers and Talladega Nights into socially relevant fare that has included The Big Short and Vice and the plan is for McKay and team to generate projects that range from scripted comedies to dramas, horror, documentaries, documentary series and podcasts. McKay most recently completed directing Don’t Look Up, a comedy that tells the story of two low level astronomers (Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio) who must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind...

When Cullen Hoback was at the U.S. Capitol building on January 6th shooting material for “Q: Into the Storm,” he knew that something dangerous was going to culminate at that location. “Anybody who had been really tracking QAnon and Maga more broadly… knew that some things were kind of coalescing on that date,” he said during our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video interview above). It got to the point that he was having trouble sleeping in the lead up to that day and was one of the most frightening days of his life. “It was a project full of nerve-wracking experiences, but that one was by far the most. I still am grateful that it wasn’t worse than it was.”

“Q: Into the Storm,” which currently available to stream on HBO Max is a docuseries that thoroughly examines the QAnon conspiracy theories that have burrowed into the American political landscape.

HBO is developing a comedy set in the world of a sugar baby – where an older person dates a younger person with the promise of money and gifts.

Sugar comes from Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman and Adam McKay and his Hyperobject Industries production company.

The half-hour project follows a young woman in New York who balances her neurotic Jewish family with her life as a college sugar baby.

It is timely given the news about a certain Congressman from a certain southern state.

Seligman will write and direct the pilot and will exec produce alongside McKay and Hyperobject Industries’ Betsy Koch. Shiva Baby producers Lizzie Shapiro, Kieran Altman, and Katie Schiller will co-produce.

Seligman is behind Shiva Baby, which was a SXSW short film that she adapted into a feature film starring Rachel Sennott, Polly Draper, Dianna Agron, Molly Gordon, Fred Melamed and Danny Deferrari. The film was released by Utopia on April.

This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine’s daily What to Watch listings and monthly guide to What’s on Streaming.

With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.

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This week,...

HBO’s documentary series “Q: Into the Storm” drops its final two episodes this Sunday. Like the rest of the series, the finale’s two episodes are heavily focused on figuring out who is Q, the person behind the QAnon conspiracy theory that motivated so many of Donald Trump’s most fanatical followers.

The most popular guesses are Trump’s former political strategist Steve Bannon, or former national security advisor and conspiracy theorist Gen. Michael Flynn. People also suspect Jim and Ron Watkins, a father and son duo that runs the website 8Chan where Q posted.

Flynn’s family actually filed a $75 million lawsuit against CNN last week for reporting his involvement spreading QAnon conspiracies. Flynn’s attorneys argue that Flynn never associated with or took “an oath of allegiance” to QAnon, despite the fact that Flynn has both cheered on and promoted QAnon’s theories — which include the belief that a satan-worshipping,...

Exclusive: HBO and HBO Max are eyeing more stories of larger-than-life rock stars and social issues with a first-look deal with Gunpowder & Sky.

The two-year agreement will see the WarnerMedia cable network and streamer have first look at Gunpowder & Sky’s library of documentaries and docuseries.

The studio is behind projects such as music docs 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, which told the story of controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, and Everybody’s Everything, a film about the life of Soundcloud rapper Lil Peep, otherwise known as Gustav Elijah Åhr.

It is also the company responsible for Werner Herzog’s Last Exit: Space, political doc Kid Candidate, Bill Ackman’s crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history in Betting on Zero and Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop.

It was founded by former MTV chief Van Toffler, together with Floris Bauer...

The most telling part of HBO’s “Q: Into the Storm” comes in its second episode, when Ron Watkins, a conspiracy theorist and former 8chan administrator, explains why he agreed to be interviewed for the documentary: “It’s very important to get the word out that as the years go by, more and more people are attacking free speech online and we need to do all we can to defend it now.”

It’s a common right-wing talking point regarding social media platforms’ restrictions on bigotry, violent content, and conspiracy theories, and it’s a lie that “Q: Into the Storm” does distressingly little to push back against. The documentary, which is directed by Cullen Hoback and executive produced by Adam McKay (“Succession”), is billed as an investigation into the identity of the person(s) behind QAnon and its impact on American culture and politics but boasts a needlessly conspiratorial...

During the early days of the QAnon movement — before the Capitol Riot insurrection, before the #StoptheSteal movement, and before believers like Marjorie Taylor Greene transitioned from the annals of Conspiracy YouTube to the halls of Congress — there was a longstanding debate within the media whether it was worth covering QAnon. At first, those in the “ignore” camp focused on the sheer outrageousness and irrationality of the theory to bolster their argument. Could any sane person really believe that a cabal of powerful, left-wing figures was trafficking and eating children?

But...

Timing is the great unknown when it comes to documentaries. Despite the filmmakers’ best efforts to capture the zeitgeist, by the time the research is done, the filming complete, the editing wrapped, and the finished product ready, the subject at hand can be long forgotten.

This is not an issue for HBO’s six part docuseries Q: Into the Storm. The series, directed by Cullen Hoback and executive produced by Adam McKay, couldn’t be arriving at a better time as it seeks to understand the QAnon phenomenon. QAnon used to be a fixation of only the most terminally online. But sometime in the last year, not coincidentally around when many QAnon adherents stormed the U.S. Capitol, the story of Q and the posters who followed him, went very, tragically mainstream.

The country has never been more primed for an all-encompassing documentary about the QAnon conspiracy theory. Unfortunately, the...

Cullen Hoback’s six-part HBO docuseries Q: Into the Storm wastes very little time getting to the events of January 6, 2021. The domestic terror attack on the United States Capitol — with many participants publicly identifying as believers in the bizarre QAnon conspiracy theory — is so fresh in our memory that you might blanche at the prospect of spending hours delving into the minds of Americans who latched on to sub-Nostradamus prophecies involving our supposedly messianic 45th president as well as left-wing, child-eating pedophiles.

To reduce Hoback’s documentary to simply a whodunit investigation of QAnon, though, would be to ...

Cullen Hoback’s six-part HBO docuseries Q: Into the Storm wastes very little time getting to the events of January 6, 2021. The domestic terror attack on the United States Capitol — with many participants publicly identifying as believers in the bizarre QAnon conspiracy theory — is so fresh in our memory that you might blanche at the prospect of spending hours delving into the minds of Americans who latched on to sub-Nostradamus prophecies involving our supposedly messianic 45th president as well as left-wing, child-eating pedophiles.

To reduce Hoback’s documentary to simply a whodunit investigation of QAnon, though, would be to ...

QAnon — the conspiracy-theory movement that sprung up on the far reaches of the internet — is a force with potentially long-lasting and transformational effects, having already placed untold numbers of Americans in its thrall and overtaken one of our two major political parties. It’s also deeply in line with this nation’s traditions of mutual mistrust of authority and our countrymen, and the American passion for pursuing novelty at the expense of logic. Perhaps only America could have created a force like QAnon; the question all of us must grapple with in the years to come is what kind of America QAnon will create.

This is a question “Q: Into the Storm,” a new six-part documentary set to air on HBO, does not meaningfully set out to answer. Director Cullen Hoback, whose films include 2018’s “What Lies Upstream,” set out on the project, set out three years ago to uncover the identity of “Q,...