Painkiller limited series release date, cast, synopsis, and everything we know

A new limited series premieres on Netflix this summer, and it’s full of talented stars that will have us binge-watching every episodes. Painkiller rips its plot from the pages of a hit book and from the headlines, and there’s no doubt it will be one of the best Netflix shows of the year.

Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, and Taylor Kitsch team up for the high-profile Netflix limited series about the opioid crisis in America and based on both a book and a major magazine articles. It’s going to be an impactful and entertaining binge-watch this summer.

Here’s everything you need to know about Painkiller on Netflix!

Netflix Painkiller release date

On May 8, 2023, Netflix announced the official release date for Painkiller. The six-episode limited series will drop on Thursday, Aug. 10. All of the episodes will be released at 12 a.m. PT and 3 a.m. ET. Check here to more release times around the world and make sure to set your reminders so you don’t miss a minute of the highly anticipated show.

Netflix Painkiller cast

Like most limited series on Netflix, Painkiller boasts a main cast of talented performers, most of which you have seen on your screens before. Orange Is the New Black star and Emmy winner Uzo Aduba returns to Netflix, while fellow fan-favorites Matthew Broderick and Taylor Kitsch bring their own talents to the limited series.

• Uzo Aduba
• Matthew Broderick
• Taylor Kitsch
• Dina Shihabi
• West Duchovny
• John Rothman

Along with those main cast members, Netflix has also announced the follow actors as guest stars in the limited series: Clark Gregg, Jack Mulhern, Sam Anderson, Ana Cruz Kayne, Brian Markinson, Noah Harpster, John Ales, Johnny Sneed, and Tyler Ritter.

What is the Netflix limited series Painkiller about?

The latest Netflix limited series was based on the book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article “The Family That Built the Empire of Pain” written by Patrick Radden Keefe, and both writers serve as executive producers on the series. Both writings explore the opioid crisis in America, as well as its origins and consequence, which the series fictionalizes.

Check out the official synopsis via Netflix:

"A fictionalized retelling of events, PAINKILLER is a scripted limited series that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin. An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, PAINKILLER is based on the book PAIN KILLER by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article ‘The Family That Built the Empire of Pain’ by Patrick Radden Keefe."

Painkiller limited series photos

Along with the announcement of the release date, Netflix also unveiled a number of first-look photos that showcase cast members Aduba, Broderick, and Kitsch in character. As of May 2023, the streaming service has not yet released a teaser or trailer ahead of the release later this summer, but we expect a sneak peek and full trailer later this summer!

Stay tuned for more news and updates about Painkiller from Netflix Life!