Death by Lightning is headed to Netflix. The streaming service has ordered the historical drama series based on the novel Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard.
Created by Mike Makowsky and starring Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen, the Death by Lightning series will follow the presidency of James Garfield (Shannon) and his assassination by Charles Guiteau (Macfayden).
Garfield was born into abject poverty but became a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, and a renowned congressman. He reluctantly became a candidate for President and took on the nation’s corrupt political establishment. But, after four months in office, Garfield was shot in the back by his greatest admirer, a deranged office-seeker named Charles Guiteau. Though Garfield survived the attack, he was the object of bitter struggles for power over his administration and his medical care.
Netflix teased the following about the upcoming series:
Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen will star in Death by Lightning — the stranger-than-fiction story of the reluctant president James Garfield and his admirer turned assassin Charles Guiteau.
From Creator Mike Makowsky and Director Matt Ross, and Executive Producers David… pic.twitter.com/ok3EQqXz9A
— Netflix (@netflix) February 1, 2024
The premiere date and additional details for the series will be announced later.
What do you think? Are you planning to watch this new historical drama series on Netflix?
Pretty much have to watch anything with Michael Shannon.