Zac Efron playing notoriously handsome serial killer Ted Bundy is one of those casting coups that could honestly be genius, if executed correctly. Now, the film in which Efron is set to break a few hearts (not to mention necks) - Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile - has found his chief companion in Lily Collins.
Extremely Wicked is told through the perspective of Elizabeth Kloepfer (Collins), Bundy’s longtime girlfriend, who went years denying the accusations against Bundy but ultimately turned him into police. Only nearing his execution, when Bundy began talking about his extensive and heinous murders, did Kloepfer, and the rest of the world, learn the true scope of his numerous grisly crimes.
Michael Werwie wrote the screenplay for Extremely Wicked, which landed on the Black List, on top of earning him a Nicholl Fellowship. Joe Berlinger (Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) is set to direct the independently produced picture, which is going into production in January of next year.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is just another entry in a string of serial killer profiles, which range from prestige Netflix series (Mindhunter), to intimate character studies (My Friend Dahmer). Here's hoping Berlinger's movie can capitalize on Efron's casting beyond being more than just an odd stunt, and Collins can bring real humanity to the woman who stood by the monster's side.