Michael Shannon & Matthew Macfadyen To Star In President Garfield Assassination Series ‘Death By Lightning’ For Netflix

Michael Shannon is to play assassinated President Garfield with Matthew Macfadyen as his killer Charles Guiteau in a new series for Netflix.

Death By Lightning comes from Bad Education screenwriter Mike Makowsky, who created the series, and directed by Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic) with Game of Thrones duo David Benioff and D.B. Weiss exec producing via their overall deal with Netflix.

It is based on the book Destiny Of The Republic by Candice Millard.

The series will bring to life the 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.

Garfield was President in 1881 and was assassinated later that year, having previously served nine terms as a Congressman. He was elected as a Senator but declined this when he became President, despite having not sought the office.

He was shot by Guiteau, who felt he had played a major role in Garfield’s election.

Macfadyen is coming off hit HBO drama Succession, where he won two Emmys. Shannon recently starred as George Jones in Showtime’s George & Tammy.

Makowsky, Benioff, Weiss, Bernie Caulfield and Ross exec produce with Ross directing all episodes.

Shannon is represented at CAA, Range Media Partners, Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman, and Macfadyen is repped by Hamilton Hodell, UTA, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.