Lifetime Network Greenlights New Movie, ‘ NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Nightmare’
A new movie based on the NXIVM cult has received the go-ahead by the Lifetime network. NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Nightmare will delve into the real-life story of actor Catherine Oxenberg and her fight to keep her daughter, India, out of the cult’s clutches. According to E! Online, NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Nightmare is currently the working title for this upcoming movie.
Described by Lifetime as a “dangerous sex cult,” NXIVM is headed by Keith Raniere, who will be played by Peter Facinelli, of Twilight fame, in the new movie. Alongside Facinelli, Andrea Roth (Rescue Me) will portray Catherine Oxenberg, and Jasper Polish (Devil’s Whisper) will play Oxenberg’s daughter, India. Sara Fletcher (Secret Girlfriend) has also been cast as actress Allison Mack, who was, at the time, an associate of Keith Raniere’s.
The new movie will follow Catherine Oxenberg’s story as she invites her daughter to a seminar by a new organization called NXIVM. India, who was 20-years-old at the time, attends a professional development meeting with her mother and comes into contact with the charismatic leader.
According to the synopsis offered by Lifetime, Catherine “can’t help but shake the feeling there’s more than meets the eye with the self-help organization.”
“Despite Catherine’s best efforts, India is drawn deeper into the cult, eventually joining a secret sorority of female members who are branded with the cult leader’s initials, ordered to maintain a restricted diet and forced to recruit other women as sex slaves.”
Catherine then fights hard to have her daughter removed from the cult’s clutches as she also helps to expose the organization to the world.
The trial of NXIVM founder Keith Raniere recently concluded with a conviction on all counts. And now, an A&E network movie is in the works. Tentatively titled "NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Nightmare," it's based on a book by Catherine Oxenberg, whose daughter was a NXIVM member. pic.twitter.com/TOWKQH2unf
— Spectrum News 1 Albany (@SpecNews1Albany) July 1, 2019
NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Story will join Lifetime’s Ripped from the Headlines new line up of movies based on real events, which are due to debut in the fall. Previously, Lifetime has announced they will be developing Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story, which will star Alyson Hannigan, as well as Trapped: The Alex Cooper Story (previously titled Saving Alex), which delves into the real-life story of a teen subjected to gay conversion therapy and will star Addison Holley, Ian Lake, and Sarah Booth.
NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Nightmare will be produced by Sony Pictures Television. Judith Verno of Peace Out Productions, along with Catherine Oxenberg, Yfat Reiss Gendell, and Richie Kern, will serve as executive producers. Lisa Robinson will direct the movie from a script written by Adam Mazer.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the NXIVM cult has been in the news recently after its leader, Keith Ranier, was convicted in a sex-trafficking case. At the time, Raniere was found guilty and now faces up to 15 years in jail at his sentencing in September.
As yet, no premiere date has been released for NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Story.
