‘Sopranos’ creator David Chase has series about CIA’s MKUltra program in development at HBO
David Chase is going from the New Jersey Mafia to the inner workings of the CIA.
Chase, creator of “The Sopranos,” is developing what would be his first TV series since the acclaimed Jersey drama.
His next show is “Project: MKUltra,” a limited series in development at HBO, Deadline reports.
The thriller is based on “Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKUltra,” a book from John Lisle that was published in May.
Chase, who optioned the book, is writing the series, which centers on Gottlieb, the chemist and spymaster who was head of the CIA’s MKUltra program.
The government project, which started in 1953, was known for its Cold War-era mind control experiments involving the use of psychedelic drugs, torture and sensory deprivation.
“Whatdya hear, whatdya say. We’re back at HBO,” Chase’s Instagram account posted, sharing the news.
READ MORE: Inside the ‘Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos’ documentary and cast reunion
Chase, 80, grew up in Clifton and North Caldwell. He is the subject of the Alex Gibney HBO documentary “Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos,” which premiered in September 2024.
“The Sopranos” aired on HBO from 1999 to 2007, winning 21 Emmys, earning its place in the pantheon of must-watch TV dramas and becoming one of New Jersey’s cultural calling cards.
Before the MKUltra series, Chase had primarily been working on films.
He picked up the story of Tony Soprano and his family in the 2021 prequel movie “The Many Saints of Newark,” which debuted simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. He co-wrote and produced the film, which stars Michael Gandolfini, son of James Gandolfini, who originated an all-time great TV antihero in Tony Soprano.
Chase is also directing a horror film for New Line Cinema.
It will be his first movie as a director since the 2012 film “Not Fade Away,” his feature directorial debut.
He co-wrote the script for the upcoming horror movie with Terence Winter, who was a writer and executive producer on “The Sopranos” and went on to create “Boardwalk Empire,” another New Jersey series that aired on HBO.
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