"I think people are concerned that [QAnon] will be used to radicalise more people."
In the lead-up to the 2020 US Presidential election, you couldn't go a couple of days without hearing about QAnon, its mysterious leader Q and a host of wild theories and conspiracies the movement was espousing (most notably linked to Donald Trump).A new HBO six-part documentary from director Cullen Hoback (2013's 'Terms And Conditions May Apply'), 'Q: Into The Storm' was three years in the making as Hoback criss-crossed the globe gaining access to key players.
Hoback features Jim and Ron Watkins, the father/ son team behind the 8chan website (the site 'Q' calls home), exploring their rivalry with Fredrick Brennan, the original creator of the platform.
Fredrick repudiated 8chan in 2019 and is a vocal critic of 8chan and Jim Watkins. "Q is whatever you want it to be. Sometimes they'll even think it's me!" Fredrick says in the trailer.
A movement that first began in 2017, Hoback interviews a host of 'Q-tubers', Q debunkers, political operatives, and journalists to reveal how 'Q' manipulates people's thinking and beliefs via information warfare and hijack politics.
"QAnon derives its power from anonymity and secrecy, so I set out to unmask and demystify the whole thing, gaining access to key players over the course of several years," Cullen says.
"Audiences can take an unfiltered look at what transpired behind the scenes and uncover the forces that drove Q's most ardent believers to storm the Capitol."
Adds executive producer Adam McKay ('Succession'): "Nothing takes away the power of conspiracy theories and lies more than exposing them to the light of day.
"And Cullen's three-year deep dive into the world of Q and the dark fringes of the internet is a powerful blast of clarity and truth exactly when we need it. I can't believe he pulled this off."
'Q: Into The Storm' screens on Fox Showcase (Foxtel) with weekly episodes from 25 April.
