'The Sopranos' creator returns to HBO after 18 years—and this time, the stakes are even higher
With stellar acting chops and a gripping narrative, HBO's 'The Sopranos' has to be one of the best crime dramas on television. Created by David Chase, the series entertained viewers from 1999 to 2007, winning 21 Primetime Emmy Awards. Following the conclusion of the show, the makers released 'The Sopranos' prequel movie 'The Many Saints of Newark,' giving fans an in-depth look into the underbelly of the criminal world before the events of the hit show. Now, 18 years later, the creator of the show, Chase, is all set to make a comeback with an HBO thriller, and honestly, we can't wait.
'The Sopranos' creator Chase is reuniting with HBO for a new limited thriller series titled 'Project: MKUltra', based on John Lisle's upcoming nonfiction book 'Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKUltra', as per Deadline. The show will chronicle real-life CIA chemist Sidney Gottlieb, who led the agency's controversial mind-control experiments during the Cold War. Chase will write and executive produce the series through Riverain Pictures, alongside Nicole Lambert. This marks Chase's first TV series since 'The Sopranos' ended in 2007.
Notably, the infamous MKUltra program has inspired numerous screen adaptations since its end in 1973, including Netflix's 'Wormwood' (2017), 'The Killing Room' (2009), and the 2022 film 'MK Ultra' starring Anson Mount, according to ScreenRant. Elements of the program have also appeared in shows like 'Bones', 'The Rookie', 'Fringe', and 'Stranger Things', where Millie Bobby Brown's character, Eleven's backstory draws clear parallels. It's unclear if any 'Sopranos' actors will join Chase's new HBO project, though he often collaborates with former colleagues from the iconic series.
Chase previously reunited with 'The Sopranos' cast and crew for 'The Many Saints of Newark', including Michael Imperioli, director Alan Taylor, and co-writer Lawrence Konner. Now, with 'Project: MKUltra', Chase’s return to HBO carries high expectations and a strong reputation built on his iconic legacy. Talking about the creator's dynamics with the leading hero of the show, the late James Gandolfini, the duo grew distant in the aftermath of 'The Sopranos.' However, Chase and Gandolfini did reconcile and worked together on the film 'Not Fade Away', as per The Playlist.
As Chase recalled, "After the movie, I went to an Easter party at his house, and someone was hocking me about doing the 'Sopranos' movie…I asked [Gandolfini], 'Would you be interested in doing a Sopranos movie?' He goes [doing an unimpressed voice], 'Well, I'd have to read a script,'" as per The Playlist. Although that sequel never materialized following Gandolfini's tragic death in 2013, Chase later brought the franchise back to the big screen with 'The Many Saints of Newark', starring Gandolfini's son Michael.