Death by Lightninghas wrapped filming. The upcoming Netflix historical drama, which was created by Mike Makowsky, is based on the Candace Millard novelDestiny of the Republicand follows the events leading up to the assassination of President James A. Garfield (Michael Shannon) by Charles J. Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen). The show is executive produced by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the duo behind multiple hit literary adaptations, including HBO’sGame of Thronesand co-creatingNetflix’s3 Body Problemwith Alexander Woo.
A new announcement fromNetflixreveals thatproduction has just wrapped onDeath by Lightning, which was filming in Hungary. They have also announced that eight new stars have joined the production, namely Vondie Curtis Hall as Frederick Douglass, Kyle Soller as Robert Todd Lincoln, Barry Shabaka Henley as Senator Blanche Bruce (who was originally going to be played by Stephen McKinley Henderson), Archie Fisher as Joe Brown, Željko Ivanek as Dr. Bliss, Ben Miles as George Scoville, Shaun Parkes as Dr. Charles Purvis, and Alistair Petrie as John Sherman.
They join an ensemble that already includes the previously announced cast members Nick Offerman as Chester A. Arthur, Betty Gilpin as Lucretia Garfield, Bradley Whitford as James Blaine, Shea Whigham as Roscoe Conkling, Paula Malcomson as Franny Scoville, and Tuppence Middleton as Kate Chase Sprague. Reada statement from Makowsky about the show wrappingbelow:
It’s been the thrill of a lifetime seeing this crack team come together to bring James Garfield and his cohort back from the annals of long-forgotten history. Six years into working on this project, it’s a story I still can’t believe is true — in all its wild, tragic glory — and it somehow feels even more relevant to our world today than ever before. I can’t wait for us to be able to finally share it.
What This Means For Death by Lightning
The Show Could Premiere Quite Soon
The fact that the show has already wrapped after going into production on July 1 likely means that the production schedule has been free of delays. WhileDeath by Lightningdoes not yet have an official release date, thiscould indicate that the show may be ready for a 2025 premiereon the streaming platform. Because it likely does not require extensive visual effects, its post-production will likely not be as intense as the epic sci-fi show3 Body Problem.
3 Body Problemseason 1 took nine months to shoot and premiered roughly nine months after wrapping production.
It remains to be seen if the show becomes a hit at the level of3 Body Problemseason 1orGame of Thrones. It may not, because of its more realistic subject matter as opposed to the sci-fi and fantasy genres embraced by the previous Benioff and Weiss shows. Makowsky is also relatively untested, ashe has never created a show before, and his most recent work was writing and producing the 2019 HBO crime dramaBad Education. However, the wait to find out how it performs will probably be significantly shorter than those other shows.
Our Take On The Death by Lightning News
The Cast Could Help Buoy The Project
While the success ofDeath by Lightningremains to be seen, the cavalcade of new cast members could very well help buoy its prospects. They are allfresh off a variety of popular shows and movies, includingDisney+’sAndor(Soller), AMC’sThe Walking Dead: Dead City(Ivanek), and Netflix projects such asSex Education(Petrie) andThe Crown(Miles). Their talents, combined with the well-known stars that have already been brought on as series regulars, could help make the show irresistible to new viewers.
Death By Lightning
Cast
Death By Lightning: This historical series examines the extraordinary true story of James Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, and Charles Guiteau, an admirer turned assassin. The narrative explores the complex relationship between Garfield and Guiteau, leading to the tragic events that unfolded.
