Damon Lindelof's Kidnap Thriller THE CHAIN Heads Straight to Series at HBO
Damon Lindelof is officially back in the showrunner seat, and he’s bringing a dark, nerve-rattling story with him. HBO has handed a straight-to-series order to The Chain, a kidnap thriller based on the 2019 novel by Adrian McKinty, marking Lindelof’s first time leading a series since Watchmen wrapped up in 2019.
The project is an eight-episode limited series and continues Lindelof’s growing relationship with HBO, following his overall deal with the network that kicked off last year. While he’s stayed busy as an executive producer on projects like Mrs. Davis and the upcoming DC series Lanterns, this is his full return to shaping a show from the ground up.
The Chain comes from Media Res, the studio behind The Morning Show, and HBO says Lindelof will be “expanding the mythology of McKinty’s thriller.” That’s an intriguing promise considering the already brutal hook of the source material.
The story centers on Rachel Klein, a mother whose normal day shatters with a phone call from an unknown number. On the other end of the line is another mother, calmly explaining that Rachel’s daughter is bound and gagged in the back seat of her car. The rules are simple and horrifying.
Rachel must pay a ransom and then kidnap another child. Refuse, and her daughter dies. The woman on the phone isn’t a mastermind pulling strings for fun. Her own child has been taken, and the only way to keep him alive is to keep the chain moving. Rachel is now trapped inside a system designed to turn victims into perpetrators, with no clean way out.
The journey of The Chain to the screen is almost as wild as the premise itself. After publishing several novels, McKinty stepped away from writing entirely in 2017, working as a bartender and Uber driver to support his family.
Fellow author Don Winslow eventually learned what had happened and passed McKinty’s books along to agent Shane Salerno, who encouraged him to write one more story. That push resulted in The Chain.
The book quickly drew Hollywood attention. In 2020, Universal Pictures optioned it as a potential feature with Edgar Wright attached to direct and Jane Goldman set to write the script. That version never materialized, but the project found new life when Media Res optioned the novel in 2024 and steered it toward television, where its structure arguably fits even better.
The pilot story comes from Lindelof, Carly Wray, and Breannah Gibson, with Lindelof and Wray writing the pilot script. Lindelof also executive produces alongside Michael Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer for Media Res, with Shane Salerno producing and McKinty serving as a co-executive producer.
Lindelof shared his enthusiasm for the project in a statement: “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 15 years ago, and I can’t wait to make The Chain a memorable link in their outstanding legacy.”
HBO is clearly all-in on Lindelof’s return as well. Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO Programming and Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, said:
“We are honored by our continued partnership with Damon Lindelof, one of the most singular and distinctive creators of our time. The Chain promises to continue his legacy of dropping us into the pit of the human brain and delivering in ways not only emotionally daring but, ultimately, transformative.”
If the show leans fully into the moral chaos of its concept, this could be the kind of thriller that audiences will show up to watch.