EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has announced “The New Stanford Prison Experiment,” an unscripted series streaming Oct. 21.
“Thirty willing participants enter a real prison and are randomly assigned as guards or prisoners. Thrust into a system of power, hierarchy, and control, they’ll… pic.twitter.com/DgcfDI09mP
— Variety (@Variety) September 15, 2026
Netflix has commissioned a reality series based on the Stanford Prison Experiment.
The official summary: “Thirty willing participants enter a real prison and are randomly assigned as guards or prisoners. Thrust into a system of power, hierarchy, and control, they’ll discover whether ordinary people inevitably conform to the roles they’re given—or whether empathy, morality, and individuality can withstand the forces pushing them in the opposite direction. As the pressure builds and the balance of power begins to shift, the central question feels more urgent than ever: Does power corrupt?”
The original Stanford Prison Experiment was a 1971 psychological study on how situational forces influence human behavior. Twenty four male college students were chosen after psychological screening and randomly assigned to act as either guards or prisoners. The guards became increasingly abusive and tyrannical towards the prisoners and the experiment was terminated within a week. The study became a textbook example of severe ethical violations in human research.
