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Lawrence Wright's 'Going Clear' will be the basis for an HBO documentary about Scientology

'Going Clear' was shortlisted for the National Book Award.

'Going Clear' is by Lawrence Wright.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

HBO will reportedly air a documentary about Scientology based on Lawrence Wright’s critically acclaimed book “Going Clear.”

“Going Clear,” which looks at the history of the Church of Scientology and also includes interviews from current and former Scientologists, was shortlisted for both a National Book Award and and an award from the National Book Critics Circle. Wright recently published the nonfiction work “Thirteen Days in September.” He is also the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Looming Tower".

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the HBO documentary based on “Clear” could air in 2015. The film will be directed by Alex Gibney, who was previously behind the documentary “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.”

As we previously reported, “Clear” was not published in the UK. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Church of Scientology has previously sued former members, writers, and others and UK laws have historically favored the plaintiff with libel cases. 

“We have probably 160 lawyers [looking at the film]," HBO Documentary Films president Sheila Nevins told the Hollywood Reporter.

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