Succession star Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Shannon have been cast in Death by Lightning, a new Netflix series from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Death by Lightning is a dramatic retelling of the rise of US President James Garfield (Shannon) and his assassination at the hands of Charles Guiteau (Macfadyen). The series was created by showrunner Mike Makowsky (Bad Education), with Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic) directing. Benioff and Weiss will serve as executive producers alongside fellow GoT producer Bernie Caulfield.
Here’s the official logline: “Death by Lightning is a drama series that brings to life the epic and stranger-than-fiction true story of James Garfield, reluctant 20th president of the United States, and his greatest admirer Charles Guiteau — the man who would come to kill him.”
The project is based on Candice Millard’s 2011 book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President. It marks the latest show to come out of Benioff and Weiss’ five-year, $250 million deal with Netflix after the highly anticipated sci-fi series 3 Body Problem.
