‘Death by Lightning’ Limited Series Gets a November Premiere

Netflix has set a November 6, 2025 premiere date for the limited series Death by Lightning, based on the incredible true story of President James Garfield. The four-episode drama, created by Bad Education‘s Mike Makowsky, announced the date and unveiled the first official photos.

“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,” reads Netflix’s synopsis.

Michael Shannon stars as President James Garfield and Matthew MacFadyen plays Charles Giteau. Nick Offerman is Chester Arthur, Bradley Whitford is James Blaine, Shea Whigham is Roscoe Conkling, and Betty Gilpin is Crete Garfield. The limited series’ guest stars include Alistair Petrie as John Sherman, Archie Fisher as Joe Brown, Barry Shabaka Henley as Senator Blanche Bruce, Ben Miles as George Scoville, and Kyle Soller as Robert Todd Lincoln.

Additional guest stars include Laura Marcus as Mollie Garfield, Paula Malcomson as Franny Scoville, Shaun Parkes as Dr. Charles Purvis, Tuppence Middleton as Kate Chase Sprague, Vondie Curtis Hall as Frederick Douglass, and Željko Ivanek as Dr. Doctor Bliss.

Mike Makowsky wrote the limited series and serves as an executive producer along with David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Bernie Caulfield. Matt Ross directs and executive produces.

“The theme of corruption in politics and our bureaucracy feels particularly evergreen these days,” stated Makowsky, discussing the series’ setting with Tudum. “The idea of civil service reform and waging a battle to clean up the grift in our government—this is something that Garfield very much stood on the front lines of in his time. In 1881, it feels like America is sort of standing at a crossroads between the past and what the future of this country is going to look like, and it’s up to [people like Garfield] to really define how America, 100 years after its inception, is going to look and what kind of society they’re going to be.”