HBO Reportedly Eyes ‘The Chain’ TV Adaptation With Damon Lindelof Attached

Damon Lindelof is rumored to be in talks to write a TV adaptation of The Chain for HBO. The information comes from Jeff Sneider, who reported that the project is still in early discussion stages.

The Chain is a thriller story centered on a terrifying idea. A young girl is kidnapped by a secret group called The Chain. Her mother is told she will only get her daughter back if she kidnaps another child. That new victim’s parent is then forced to do the same thing, keeping the cycle going. The organization never directly kidnaps again. Instead, the parents are forced to continue the crime themselves.

The series would be based on the 2019 novel The Chain by Adrian McKinty. The book became a major turning point in McKinty’s life and career. He had stopped writing in 2017 after being evicted from his rented home and struggling to make money from his novels. During that time, he worked as an Uber driver and bartender to survive.

Crime author Don Winslow learned about McKinty’s situation and shared his books with agent and producer Shane Salerno. After a late-night phone call, Salerno convinced McKinty to write a new novel. Salerno even loaned him $10,000 to help him get through the writing process. That book became The Chain.

The story was inspired by chain letters and real-world reports of hostage exchanges. After the book was finished, it quickly changed McKinty’s fortunes. He landed a six-figure book deal, returned to writing full-time, and saw the novel published in 37 countries. The story is set on Plum Island, Massachusetts.

The Chain has already drawn strong interest from Hollywood. It was first optioned by Paramount Pictures, and later Universal Pictures acquired the film rights in 2020. Edgar Wright was attached to direct and produce, with Jane Goldman writing the screenplay.

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