Filmmaker Mary Harron (‘American Psycho,’ ‘I Shot Andy Warhol,’ ‘The Moth Diaries’) is to take the director’s chair for ‘Charlie Says,’ a procedural feature about American criminal and cult leader Charles Manson and his followers.
Reuniting Harron with her ‘American Psycho’ scribe Guinevere Turner, the film is an examination of the infamous Manson Family murders through the eyes of graduate student Karlene Faith as she works with three young, brainwashed women who were part of the cult – Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel and Susan Atkins.
Taking on the role of Manson will be ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘The Crown’ star Matt Smith. According to THR, Hannah Murray (‘Detroit,’ ‘Game of Thrones’), Marianne Rendón (‘Gemini,’ ‘Imposters’), Carla Gugino (‘Sin City,’ ‘Watchmen’), Kaylie Carter (‘Godless,’ ‘Rings’) and the Merritt Wever (‘Godless,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘Nurse Jackie’) also star.
Turner’s script is adapted from Faith’s nonfiction book ‘The Long Prison Journey of Leslie van Houten: Life Beyond The Cult’ and Ed Sanders’ controversial 1971 novel, ‘The Family.’