Dark Sky Films has acquired the upcoming thriller The Leader. A theatrical release is planned for March 2027.

Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring) and Tim Blake Nelson (The Testament of Ann Lee) star in the film which is based on the true story of the Heaven’s Gate religious cult.

Here’s the official synopsis:

“The Leader is set against the backdrop of one of the most bizarre and devastating chapters in American history. The story follows Marshall Herff Applewhite (Nelson), a former music teacher, and Bonnie Lu Nettles (Farmiga), a nurse whose chance meeting in the early 1970s sparks an extraordinary spiritual partnership.

“Convinced they have been chosen to guide humanity toward a higher plane of existence, the pair establish Heaven’s Gate, attracting followers willing to surrender their possessions, abandon their families, and sever ties with the outside world. As their influence grows, devotion gives way to increasingly extreme beliefs, setting the group on a path toward an unimaginable conclusion.”

Michael Gallagher writes and directs.

The cast also includes Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”), Grace Caroline Currey (Fall), and Simon Rex (Red Rocket).

Variety first reported on the acquisition.