HBO And Damon Lindelof Forge The Chain, A Kidnapping Thriller Series That Won't Let Go
HBO is teaming with Damon Lindelof on The Chain, a nerve-jangling kidnapping thriller based on Adrian McKinty’s novel that’s primed to tighten the screws with every episode.
This one has been passed along a few times. Edgar Wright was supposed to make The Chain as a Universal movie with Jane Goldman writing. That version fizzled during the pandemic shuffle. Now the project has landed at HBO with Damon Lindelof running the show, and per Deadline, HBO just handed it a straight-to-series order.
What is The Chain?
Based on Adrian McKinty's 2019 novel, it follows Rachel, a mom who gets the worst call imaginable: her 11-year-old daughter has been abducted. The ransom isn't money. To get her kid back, Rachel has to kidnap another child. Her daughter is only released after that next child's parents do the same to someone else. If Rachel refuses, or if the next parents won't play along, her daughter dies. It's a cold, chain letter-style kidnapping scheme that turns parents into criminals. The twist the bad guys didn't plan for: Rachel is tougher than she looks, she's beaten cancer once already, and she decides she&aposs going to break the whole system and get her daughter back.
From stalled film to HBO limited series
The book hit in 2019, Universal moved fast with Wright directing and Goldman scripting, then the pandemic era happened and that version stalled out. The rights changed hands, moved to HBO, and Lindelof took over. HBO has now given The Chain a straight-to-series pickup.
Who's making it
- Format: Eight-part limited series
- Showrunner/EP: Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers; most recently showrunner of HBO's Watchmen in 2019)
- Writers: Pilot story by Lindelof, Carly Wray, and Breannah Gibson; pilot script by Lindelof and Wray
- Studios: HBO with Media Res as co-studio
- Executive producers: Damon Lindelof; Michael Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer for Media Res; Shane Salerno
- Author involvement: Adrian McKinty is a co-executive producer
Lindelof's angle
HBO says Lindelof is expanding the mythology of McKinty's thriller, which is a fancy way of saying he's going past the page to build out the world and the people running this nightmare pyramid scheme. Given his track record, expect big moral knots, carefully planted mysteries, and probably a few gut-punch reveals.
"From the moment I heard the wild and original premise of Adrian's book, I was shocked, surprised and angry I hadn't thought of it myself. I've always wanted to try to adapt a great thriller and this one has all the dark, weird, exhilarating touches that fire up my imagination. I feel so fortunate to reteam with Francesca, Casey and Michael, who first brought me to HBO fifteen years ago and I can't wait to make The Chain a memorable link in their outstanding legacy."
HBO drama boss Francesca Orsi echoed the enthusiasm, calling Lindelof one of the most distinctive creators working and promising that The Chain will take viewers deep into the messiest corners of the human mind and actually deliver on the emotional payoff. That's a high bar, but the premise is nasty enough in the right way to make it worth the bet.