TL;DR
- David Chase, creator of The Sopranos, is developing a new limited series for HBO titled Project: MKUltra, based on the CIA’s mind-control experiments during the Cold War.
- The show adapts John Lisle’s book Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKUltra.
- This marks Chase’s major return to television for the first time in nearly two decades.
What is Project: MKUltra and what will it cover?
The series Project: MKUltra will delve into the covert activities of the CIA’s psychological experimentation program, which ran from the 1950s into the 1970s. The dramatic thriller will focus on the central figure of Sidney Gottlieb, the chemist and espionage operative often nicknamed the “black sorcerer,” who oversaw experiments involving hallucinogens, hypnosis and other unethical human-subject research.
Chase’s involvement brings a blend of prestige dramatic storytelling — following his era-defining work with The Sopranos — into a subject that has cultural, historical and moral gravity. According to sources, the series is being developed under Chase’s Riverain Pictures banner in conjunction with HBO.
Why this matters in the TV landscape
- Return of a key creative voice: David Chase’s re-entry into television signals that major auteurs are still drawn to long-form storytelling on premium platforms.
- Subject matter with weight: Project MKUltra has long been the stuff of conspiracy theories, psychological thrillers and real-world horror. A serious dramatic adaptation gives it broader exposure.
- HBO’s prestige strategy: With this project, HBO reinforces its status as a network willing to back ambitious, adult-oriented limited series with historic or morally complex themes.
