Killing Reagan, a new movie based on Ronald and Nancy Reagan, is in the works for the National Geographic Channel. Now Tim Matheson and Cynthia Nixon have been cast to play the former presidential couple.
The two-hour movie, directed by Rod Lurie, is based on news anchor Bill O’Reilly’s 2015 New York Times bestseller. It focuses on the 1981 shooting of President Reagan by the hands of John Hinckley, Jr., which almost killed the politician.
This would be the latest in a series that detail similar events which include Killing Kennedy, Killing Lincoln, and Killing Jesus. National Geographic has already turned these titles into film adaptations and announced their plans with Killing Reagan shortly after the book’s release.
“With this fourth installment of the highly successful Killing franchise, we are, along with our partners, Bill O’Reilly and Scott Free Productions, going to use the assassination attempt as a crucible to tell the fascinating and surprising story of Ronald Reagan and his lasting impact on the global stage,” Executive Vice President Carolyn Bernstein said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have Tim and Cynthia on board to bring this story to life during an unpredictable and historic election year.”
The project will be produced by Scott Free Productions, with O’Reilly himself serving as executive producer alongside Scott and David W. Zucker. Eric Simonson, an Oscar-winning documentarian, has already prepared the script.
“Even nearly 30 years after his presidency, and more than 10 years after his death, Ronald Reagan’s mark on American politics and the global geopolitical landscape, through both his actions and his policies, still reverberates today. There is much that can be learned by looking back at that riveting period in history,” O’Reilly added.