Michael Shannon has officially been inaugurated, as the first images from Netflix‘s Death By Lightning are here. The limited series, based on the novel Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard and created by Emmy-winning Bad Education writer Mike Makowsky, follows the stranger-than-fiction tale of President James Garfield and his greatest admirer, Charles Guiteau, the man who would be his tragic downfall. In this first look, the two-time Oscar nominee embodies the 20th President of the United States opposite Succession star Matthew Macfadyen as his killer-to-be, and it gives a taste of the tale of politics and deadly obsession to come as their lives intertwine. All episodes are also confirmed to be released later this year.

Garfield and Guiteau’s connection is a somber one, beginning with the former’s reluctant ascension to the presidency. Guiteau was mentally unstable and, during the campaign, grew enamored with the incoming Commander-in-Chief. Upon Garfield’s election, he believed he was owed a consulship with the new administration for what he perceived as great contributions to his run. Constant rejections for such positions pushed Guiteau to consider murder, convincing himself that he’d be made a hero for assassinating the president. Death By Lightning looks to flesh out this harrowing story by exploring the lives and acquaintances of the two men in the run-up to their fatal encounter.

The images immediately show Guiteau’s over-enthusiastic support of the president, with one shot in particular showing him among Garfield’s supporters looking up to him with an almost manic awe. It appears that most of the shots are taken during Garfield’s inauguration and the celebration thereafter as other political figures congratulate him and his wife, Lucretia (Betty Gilpin), joins him for a dance. Not all people and politicians are happy, however. Nick Offerman plays a sour-looking Chester A. Arthur, who is watching over proceedings. Despite being Garfield’s vice president, he wasn’t enamored with his partner, particularly due to his choices of appointments that ignored Stalwarts like Roscoe Conkling (Shea Whigham) in favor of their direct rivals like James Blaine (Bradley Whitford). Their inclusion hints that Death By Lightning will be just as much about the spoils system and its consequences as the actual assassination.

Who Else Is Involved in ‘Death By Lightning’?

In Death by Lightning, Michael Shannon plays James Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, and Matthew Macfadyen plays the man who would come to kill him.

Here’s your first look at this epic, stranger than fiction true story also starring Nick Offerman and Betty… pic.twitter.com/VDrT5u3dq9

— Netflix (@netflix) January 30, 2025

Filming on Death By Lightning wrapped in late 2025, with an expansive cast on board to play its many historical figures. Joining Shannon, Macfadyen, and the rest will be Laura Marcus as Mollie Garfield, Paula Malcomson as Franny Scoville, Tuppence Middleton as Kate Chase Sprague, Archie Fisher as Joe Brown, Barry Shabaka Henley as Senator Blanche Bruce, Željko Ivanek as Dr. Willard Bliss, Kyle Soller as Robert Todd Lincoln, Ben Miles as George Scoville, Vondie Curtis Hall as Frederick Douglass, Shaun Parkes as Dr. Charles Purvis, and Alistair Petrie as John Sherman. Rounding out the creative team are 3 Body Problem duo David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, alongside their production partner Bernie Caulfield as executive producers, while Matt Ross directs all eight episodes.

Death By Lightning doesn’t have an exact release date yet. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the series as it nears. Check out the first images in the gallery above.

via Collider