Joshua Jackson is set to play Dr. Death in a new limited series of the same name on Peacock that focuses on the story of Christopher Duntsch, a Texas neurosurgeon who ended up paralyzing four patients and killing two after botched surgeries, according to the Texas Observer who first broke the story in 2013.
Duntsch had his license revoked by the Texas Medical Board in June 2013 but his story took the U.S. by storm, inspiring the 2018 “Dr. Death” podcast from Wondery, spearheaded by Laura Bell.
The podcast was described as a “story about a charming surgeon, 33 patients and a spineless system,” alluding to the failure of the Texas Medical Board to stop Duntsch before he could cause more harm to more patients.
Jamie Dornan, star of “50 Shades of Grey," was originally set to play Duntsch but had to back out due to scheduling conflicts.
Deadline first reported that Jackson would step into the role on Monday and star opposite Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater.
Production is set to begin this fall for the show which will focus on the “young, charismatic and ostensibly brilliant, Dr. Duntsch,” who built a neurosurgery practice where “patients entered his operating room for complex but routine spinal surgeries and left permanently maimed or dead,” Deadline reported.
Read the full story on Duntsch at the Texas Observer here.