We’ll soon see a very different side to Zac Efron, as he has signed up to take on the role of real life serial killer Ted Bundy in an upcoming movie.
Directed by Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory), Efron will portray Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Bundy was an American serial killer, kidnapper, rapist, burglar and necrophile who murdered young females during the 1970’s. He was executed in 1989 after confessing to the murder and sexual assault of over 30 women, however, the true figure remains unknown.
The film will be told from the perspective of Elizabeth Kloepfer, Bundy’s longtime girlfriend. Kloepfer refused to believe the allegations against Bundy for a long period of time, before she later reported him to the police.
One of the film’s producers, Nicolas Chartier, stated that he’s been keen to work with Efron for a while. He told Deadline: “I have been trying to work with Zac Efron for a long time. From his dramatic turn in Paperboy to his hilarious performance in Neighbors, he continues to impress audiences and critics alike with his extraordinary versatility and range.”
Co-producer Michael Costigan added that Zac is “the perfect casting.” Costigan said: “He can play both the depth and the charm that this guy had in equal measures, and which allowed him to manipulate these women in such a terrifying way. We think in the vein of Nightcrawler or even The Jinx, we are making a psychological thriller that will resonate deeply with audiences.”
Over the past few years, Efron’s filmography has been largely made up of comedies, with roles in Bad Neighbours, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, We Are Your Friends, and the forthcoming Baywatch movie. He is also well loved globally for his role as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical movies.
It’ll be interesting to see Zac Efron take on a completely different role, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he’ll adapt to portraying such a brutal, evil character.
Production will begin in October, based on the original screenplay written by Michael Werwie which won him a Nicholl Fellowship prize and made the 2012 Black List.