Damon Lindelof is returning with a buzzy new HBO project.
The Emmy-winning showrunner behind Lost and The Leftovers and Watchmen has struck a deal for a new project, The Chain.
The show is based on Adrian McKinty’s dark, twisty 2019 novel of the same name. The book is about a kidnapping scheme where the victim’s parents must kidnap another child to secure their own child’s release, creating a self-perpetuating chain of abductions. Author Don Winslow blurbed the book as “Jaws for parents,” while Stephen King praised it as “nightmarish, propulsive and original.”
That said, Lindelof is said to be expanding the mythology of McKinty’s thriller.
“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,” Lindelof said. “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 re-team with [Francesca Orsi, Casey Bloys and Michael Ellenberg], 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.”
This marks Lindelof’s first sole showrunning gig in six years, since his limited series Watchmen (he more recently co-created Peacock’s short-lived 2023 AI dramedy Mrs. Davis).
The deal is also the first project in HBO’s two-year overall deal with Lindelof, which began in September 2025.
“We are honored by our continued partnership with Damon Lindelof, one of the most singular and distinctive creators of our time,” Orsi said. “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.”
The pilot story is by Lindelof, Carly Wray, and Breannah Gibson. Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer serve as executive producers for Media Res, the co-studio behind the series. Shane Salerno serves as executive producer. McKinty also serves as co-executive producer.
