WATCH: Netflix drops official trailer for reality show about the Stanford Prison Experiment
Netflix has released the first official trailer for The New Stanford Prison Experiment, an upcoming reality show where contestants are put inside a real prison to test the infamous 1971 psychological study.
The two-minute clip opens in a dark control room packed with monitors before cutting to a few of the 30 contestants voicing their unease about what's in store for them.
"This is gonna test my temper, test my patience with people," one participant said.
"Worst case scenario, my inner monster is stronger than I thought it was," another added.
The trailer then shows the participants being processed like new arrivals, complete with handcuffs, mugshots, and gray-uniformed "guards."
Things quickly turn intense as the guards begin to abuse their power by making them drop to the ground and locking them for 23 hours, while the inmates start to wonder if they could fight back.
Watch the trailer below.
According to its official synopsis, the show will be a "bold reimagining of one of history’s most controversial social experiments," wherein 30 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," it read.
"As the pressure builds and the balance of power begins to shift, the central question feels more urgent than ever: Does power corrupt?" it added.
The New Stanford Prison Experiment centers on the original 1971 Stanford prison experiment led by psychologist Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University. In it, 24 male college students were assigned to play the roles of prisoners and guards in a mock prison.
What was meant to be a simple observational study rapidly spiraled into chaos. Within 24 hours, the guards began tormenting and humiliating the inmates. The prisoners suffered severe psychological trauma, leading several to suffer emotional breakdowns.
The Netflix series will premiere on Oct. 21.
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