HBO has acquired U.S. television rights
to Believer, a documentary that stars Imagine Dragons frontman
Dan Reynolds as he investigates how the Mormon Church treats the LGBT
community.
The documentary is scheduled to have
its world premiere later this month at the Sundance Film Festival in
Utah.
According to Deadline
Hollywood, which broke the news, HBO will air the film next
summer.
Directed by Don Argott, Believer
follows Reynolds, who was raised Mormon, as he explores how the
church treats its LGBT members.
“With the rising suicide rate amongst
teens in the state of Utah, his concern with the church's policies
sends him on an unexpected path for acceptance and change,” the
film's description reads.
Reynolds helped organize the inaugural
LoveLoud Festival concert in Orem, Utah. Proceeds from the event
benefit several LGBT organizations, including the Trevor Project and
GLAAD.
“LoveLoud reached 20,000 people in
Utah, which is really small compared to the number of people who need
to be reached,” Reynolds said. “I think the reason the film needs
to happen is because I feel like this is a way that nobody can turn
their heads away.”
(Related: Imagine
Dragons' Dan Reynolds credits wife with teaching him that “gay is
beautiful.”)