Documentary studio Zandland has announced its first major streamer commission: The Cult of NatureBoy, a “gripping and deeply immersive” four-part series for Hulu, created in collaboration with ABC News Studios.
Years in the making, the series charts “one of the most extraordinary and disturbing cult stories of the modern era”, following the rise of an online spiritual leader who built a global following in real time, “and the devastating consequences for those drawn into his orbit.”
In 2016, a rising social media star named Eligio Bishop, also known as NatureBoy, used his platforms to recruit followers to a group he called “Carbon Nation,” encouraging them to abandon their families and join his vision of a self-proclaimed “Black Utopia.”
What began as an alternative lifestyle community quickly evolved into something far more sinister. The new four-part docuseries “The Cult of NatureBoy,” offers a rare and unfiltered look inside a modern cult operating in plain sight, told through firsthand testimony from former members and victims and insights from online investigators who tracked them in real time.
Ben Zand, the director of the series and founder and CEO of Zandland, said: “This is a story we’ve been working on for years, and from the very beginning it was clear we were witnessing one of the most extraordinary cult stories of our time. What makes it so unsettling is that it didn’t happen in isolation, it unfolded in real time, online, in front of a global audience. The Cult of NatureBoy is profoundly human, told with honesty and care, and reflects Zandland’s commitment to fearless, unfiltered storytelling. Partnering with ABC News Studios to bring this to a global audience on Hulu for our first major streamer series has been a privilege, and we’re incredibly grateful to those who trusted us with their stories.”
The Cult of NatureBoy is produced for Hulu by Zandland and ABC News Studios. Ben Zand, founder and CEO of Zandland, serves as the director of the series. Lucie Ridout is showrunner, Janine Weaver is Producer and Adam Mitchenall is Head of Production for Zandland. Muriel Pearson is executive producer and David Sloan is senior executive producer for ABC News Studios.
Staff Reporter
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