The Kennedy Netflix series is moving ahead with Michael Fassbender set to take on the role of Joseph P. Kennedy Senior, the ambitious patriarch of one of American’s most famous families. Netflix has ordered eight episodes, with the story beginning in the 1930s and 40s. Instead of focusing on John F. Kennedy’s presidency or the tragedies that followed, the series will look at how Joe and Rose Kennedy built the foundation of a dynasty during a volatile time in American history.
This shift in perspective offers something different from the countless films and documentaries that usually highlight JFK’s assassination or Robert Kennedy’s political career. The show will take viewers back to the beginning, when the Kennedys were still climbing and their reputation was still being formed.
What the Kennedy Netflix Series Will Show
The Kennedy Netflix series draws from historian Fredrik Logevall’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, entitled JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956. The book covers the environment in which John F. Kennedy grew up, but the series expands on that backdrop by zeroing in on his parents, Joe and Rose, and their nine children.
Audiences can expect to see how the Kennedys navigated the Great Depression, shifting cultural expectations, and the growing influence of American politics in the mid-20th century. It will highlight the household dynamics that shaped future senators and a president.
The goal of the Kennedy Netflix series is to show how the family’s values and ambitions didn’t appear out of nowhere. They were the product of years of discipline, strategy, and resilience.
Why Fassbender Fits the Role
Michael Fassbender has a track record of portraying complex, often contradictory characters. His performances in 12 Years a Slave and Steve Jobs showed his ability to balance charisma with ruthlessness, making him a strong choice to play Joe Kennedy Sr.
In the Kennedy Netflix series, he will need to capture the character of a man who was charming in public and demanding at home, someone whose ambition drove his children but also place tremendous pressure on them. By casting Michael Fassbender, Netflix is deferring away from a glossy period drama, opting for a prestige project the aims for the same seriousness as The Crown.
Fassbender’s presence suggests the show will dig into the deeper contradictions of the Kennedy Story rather than only presenting the family’s polished public image.
The Creative Team Behind the Project
The Kennedy Netflix series comes from Sam Shaw, the creator of Manhattan, and acclaimed director Thomas Vinterberg, whose film Another Round won the Academy Award for Best International Feature. Their involvement points to a balance between historical details and emotional storytelling.
Netflix has committed to an eight-episode run, giving the show enough space to tell a rich story without stretching it thin. Production is scheduled to begin in 2026, which means a likely release sometime in 2027. While that feels far away, time gives the creators room to focus on accuracy and strong character work.
Why the Kennedys’ Story Still Matters Today
The Kennedy family remains a source of fascination because their history combines success, scandal, and tragedy. Joe Jr. died in World War II, JFK was assassinated in 1963, and Robert Kennedy was killed five years later. The family’s legacy is often told through those moments of loss, but the Kennedy Netflix series aims to show how the dynasty was built before the tragedies defined them.
By exploring the family’s earlier years, the show has the chance to paint a fuller picture of the pressures and values that molded a generation of Kennedys. It’s not about reliving Camelot’s golden years but showing how Camelot came to be in the first place.