Painkiller: release date, cast, plot and everything we know

Sarabeth Pollock
·2 min read
John Rothman, Matthew Broderick and Sam Anderson in Painkiller
John Rothman, Matthew Broderick and Sam Anderson in Painkiller

The opioid crisis in America comes into sharp focus in the new Netflix original series Painkiller, 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.

The scripted limited series follows the rise of OxyContin, viewed as Purdue Pharma's miracle drug that ultimately destroyed the lives of countless people who had been looking for relief from their pain.

Painkiller follows the same path as the Hulu limited series Dopesick starring Michael Keaton that, similarly, followed the nefarious Sackler family as they shot to new levels of wealth as the demand for Oxy went out of control.

The series comes from the showrunner/creator/writer team of Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood).

Here's everything we know about Painkiller.

Painkiller release date

Painkiller arrives on Netflix on August 10 in the US and UK. All six episodes will be available to stream on release day.

Check out what else is new on Netflix in August.

Painkiller cast

Painkiller features an all-star cast that includes Emmy winner Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Emmy nominee Matthew Broderick (The Producers), Taylor Kitsch (Waco: The Aftermath), Critics Choice Award nominee Dina Shihabi (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan) and West Duchovny (Vegas High)

Broderick plays Purdue Pharma's Richard Sackler, one of the masterminds behind the push to unleash Oxy onto unsuspecting victims.

Painkiller plot

Here's the official synopsis of Painkiller from 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. Executive produced by Eric Newman, Pete Berg, Alex Gibney, and showrunners/creators Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster. Starring Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi and West Duchovny."

Painkiller trailer

Take a look at the trailer for Painkiller below:

How to watch Painkiller

As a Netflix original series, Painkiller is available exclusively on the platform.

There are several subscription options available with Netflix, which are provided below:

Check out what else is available to watch on the streaming service right now with our list of the best TV shows on Netflix.