Death By Lightning Filming Locations as It Lands on Netflix
Death By Lightning on Netflix is executive produced by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. The four-part historical drama depicts the events leading to the assassination of the 20th President of the United States.
Based on Candice Millard’s book Destiny of the Republic, the limited series was fully released on Thursday, November 6, 2025. It follows James A. Garfield (played by Michael Shannon), who unexpectedly becomes President in 1881 after initially backing John Sherman’s (Alistair Petrie) bid for the office.
The story also explores how Garfield’s future assassin, Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), rapidly turns into his biggest admirer.
Unexpected Filming Location
Although the drama centers on a significant chapter in American history, the series was not filmed in the United States as one might assume. Instead, production took place in Budapest, Hungary.
- Filming began on July 1, 2024
- Filming wrapped up in October 2024
"Despite Death By Lightning revolving around a key chapter in America’s history, the Netflix show wasn’t actually filmed in the US."
Many viewers have expressed curiosity about the filming location given the historical significance of the events portrayed.
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Author's summary: The historical drama Death By Lightning, executive produced by Benioff and Weiss, showcases pivotal American history but was filmed in Budapest, Hungary, not the U.S.