A little less than two weeks ago, Netflix released a four-part documentary series titled Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, which, as you can guess, featured archival interviews with Ted Bundy, the notorious serial killer who murdered over thirty young women. The documentary series proved to be quite popular and it seems that Netflix is looking to give its audiences more of Ted Bundy as they're set to acquire the right to the upcoming EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE, which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
According to THR, Netflix is closing a deal for the U.S. rights as well as some international rights for EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE. The deal is said to be valued at $9 million. The film, directed by Joe Berlinger, who also helmed Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, follows the crimes of Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins), who refused to believe the truth about him for years. Netflix is expected to give the film a theatrical run this fall during awards season to create a little buzz for Zac Efron.
Our own Chris Bumbray caught the film at Sundance, and although he wasn't as enthused with it as others were, still came away with praise for Zac Efron's performance in his review. "Efron is smart casting in the lead, if certain things, such as a scene where he strips to reveal an impossibly shredded physique, seems ridiculous for a part like this," Bumbray said. "He’s always been a good actor and he’s clearly relishing the opportunity to stretch, and it’s his performance that ultimately makes this something of a must-see." At the end of the day however, Bumbray believed that EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE fell short of excellence, and never transcended the docudrama genre.