The creator of "The Sopranos" will direct a series about the famous spy and godfather of "brainwashing"

David Chase, creator of "The Sopranos," considered one of the best series in television history, is developing a new project. It will be a true-life spy thriller titled "Project: MKUltra." The episodic production is being developed for the streaming platform HBO Max.

David Chase's new production will explore the true story of chemist and spy Sidney Gottlieb. Known as the Black Warlock, Gottlieb is considered the unwitting godfather of the LSD counterculture. According to the official synopsis for "Project: MKUltra," Gottlieb headed the CIA-led MKUltra Psychedelic Program, which conducted dangerous and deadly mind control experiments on unwilling individuals during the height of the Cold War.

Conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, this secret program aimed to counter Soviet and Chinese advances in brainwashing techniques. It employed psychedelic drugs, hypnosis, electrical stimuli, and even torture to extract confessions. Witness accounts often described these experiments as brutal and sometimes leading to tragic consequences.

The entire project was first reported in 1974 by The New York Times. This article sparked a series of government investigations. The newspaper's reports were confirmed, although most of the documentation was destroyed.

The series is based on John Lisle's book "Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKULTRA." Nicole Lambert will serve as producer, Deadline reports.

David Chase previously won seven Emmy Awards for "The Sopranos," which revolutionized television. Airing for six seasons between 1999 and 2007, it is widely considered one of the greatest television series of all time. After completing his work on the series, Chase returned to it for a film prequel. "Project MKUltra" will be Chase's first series since "The Sopranos."