Sphere Abacus acquires true crime docu-series "Making Manson"

Sphere Abacus has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the true crime documentary series "Making Manson", produced by award-winning Renowned Films. SA has already secured sales to Channel 5 / Paramount+ in the UK and Bell Media, Canada (both French and English-speaking markets) for the series, which aired on "Peacock" in the US in November 2024.

Executive produced by Max Welch, Kate Maddigan, Tim Withers, and Duane Jones for Renowned, "Making Manson" (3 x 1 hour) is a high-end, high-budget, explosive production offering exclusive, unfiltered insights into America’s most notorious killer and cult leader, Charles Manson. Featuring never-before-heard audio of Manson, culled from more than 100 hours of intimate conversations recorded over 20 years up until his death in 2017, the series reveals new details about Manson’s past and surprising insights into his worldview. Nearly 20 contributors appear in the series, from those closest to his crimes in "The Family" to victims’ family members, some speaking on camera for the first time.

Jonathan Ford, Managing Director of Sphere Abacus, celebrated the title: "This exceptional true crime docu-series offers new details about Manson’s early life and delivers a deeper understanding of him and his actions through exclusive access to shocking and revealing interviews he gave whilst in prison. The series received rave reviews following its recent premiere on "Peacock" in the US, and we are certain it will be sought after by audiences around the world;" expressed.

In addition to interviews with Manson’s pen pal John Michael Jones, the series also features conversations with former "Family" members Dianne Lake, Alan Rose, and Catherine Share, as well as journalist Linda Deutsch, Manson’s former cellmate Phil Kaufman, music producer Gregg Jakobson, and forensic psychologist Dr. Tod Roy, among others.

Manson’s recordings reveal the cruelty he suffered in reform school and the childhood experiences that shaped his trajectory—growing up abused and as a ward of the state of Indiana. Former "Family" members revisit their time under Manson’s influence, describing their devotion and the crimes committed during the summer of ’69. These revelations challenge the widely accepted motives behind the murder spree, including Manson’s intent to incite "Helter Skelter". In the final moments before his death, Manson reflects on his life in prison, expressing rare moments of vulnerability to the man who interviewed him for decades.