Joseph Gordon-Levitt Set to Take on the Role of Infamous Cult Leader in New Movie

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is set to take on the role of an infamous cult leader in a sinister new movie. THR reports that the Inception actor will play Jim Jones in a film titled White Night. Jones was leader of the People's Temple cult who established the "Jonestown" compound in Guyana. In 1978, he ordered his followers to drink poison in a mass suicide event that left 900 dead. In addition to Gordon-Levitt, Chloe Grace Moretz will also star in the film, portraying Jonestown survivor Deborah Layton. 

White Night is an adaptation of Layton's best-selling memoir, Seductive Poison, and being directed by Anne Sewitsky (A Very British Scandal). The film's script was penned by William Wheeler, who scripted the award-winning Queen of Katwe. White Night is being finance by FilmNation Entertainment who will produce the movie alongside Archer Gray. Worldwide sales are being handled by FilmNation, who will launch the project at Berlin's European Film Market. "Debbie Layton's Seductive Poison was the first book Anne Carey and I optioned at Archer Gray, and it formed the foundation of our mission to help give voice to the stories it was time to hear," said Amy Nauiokas, CEO of Archer Gray.

"Debbie's incredible journey with the People's Temple deserves an audience across generations. It should serve as a warning about the power a certain type of charismatic leader can have and the very real lessons to be learned from our history," Gray also said. Ashley Fox, President of Production at FilmNation, added, "When we first read Bill Wheeler's adaptation, it was seeing this infamous story from Deborah's point of view that unlocked it psychologically and dramatically. Entering Jim Jones' magnetic orbit through the eyes of an idealistic, passionate young woman reminded us that anyone can fall victim to extremism, given the right circumstances."

Notably, White Night is not the only Jim Jones-related biopic in the works at this time. It was previously announced that Gordon-Levitt's Inception co-star Leonardo DiCaprio will also portray the charismatic cult leader in a new film. At this time, that film does not appear to have an official title, but it is being written by Scott Rosenberg (Venom). No director appears to be attached. The as-yet-untitled film is in-development at MGM with DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson set to co-produce through their Appian Way banner.