The New Stanford Prison Experiment

Netflix is set to release The New Stanford Prison Experiment in 2026, a reality TV series that reimagines the controversial 1971 psychological study by Dr. Philip Zimbardo. Thirty participants are placed in a genuine prison environment for two weeks, randomly assigned as guards or prisoners, to explore the psychological effects of power, control, and hierarchy.

The series investigates whether ordinary people will conform to their assigned roles or if empathy, morality, and individuality can resist the strains of authority. As tensions mount and power shifts, the fundamental question—Does power corrupt?—takes center stage.

Executive Producer Jane Lipsitz reflected on the production as an intense and boundary-pushing project, highlighting Netflix's support for challenging and ambitious stories. The show, rated TV-MA and categorized under reality TV, promises an intense look at human behavior under pressure and will be available exclusively on Netflix.