After being relatively quiet during most of the Sundance Film Festival, Netflix snatched up the rights to Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, the new Ted Bundy film starring Zac Efron as the notorious serial killer.
Netflix spent $9 million to get the rights for the film, which was produced by Voltage Pictures. Netflix will handle the U.S. rights while Voltage Pictures has some foreign rights for the film. The film’s trailer premiered over a week ago and received criticism, both good and bad, after its release. Many critics are intrigued by Zac Efron’s turn as Bundy, which will be a big play against type for the actor, while other critics have taken issue with the perceived “romanticizing” of Bundy by casting someone good looking like Efron in the role.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, the film tells the story of mass murderer Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) but seen through a viewpoint of his imagined innocence. Lily Collins plays his devoted partner, with Haley Joel Osment, Kaya Scodelario, John Malkovich, Angela Sarafyan and Jim Parsons also starring.
Netflix is also planning an awards season theatrical run for the film so it can qualify for major awards come award season.
