Netflix is nearing deal for U.S. rights and some international territories for Zac Efron’s Ted Bundy drama “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.”
The deal cost about $8 million, sources confirmed to Variety. “Extremely Wicked” premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and follows the crimes of Bundy from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins), who refused to believe the truth about him for years.
Bundy was arrested in 1975 and tried for murder in 1979. Shortly before his execution in 1989, Bundy confessed to 30 homicides committed in seven states between 1974 and 1978.
Joe Berlinger directed from a screenplay by Michael Werwie,. The cast also includes Jim Parsons, Haley Joel Osment, John Malkovich, and Kaya Scodelario.
In his Variety review, chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised Efron’s performance, writing, “He’s startlingly good: controlled, magnetic, audacious, committed, and eerily right.”
Netflix shelled out for a number of films at Sundance, including the documentaries “American Factory” and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign chronicle “Knock Down the House.”
Ara Keshishian and Nicolas Chartier are producing for Voltage Pictures. Michael Costigan is producing for COTA Entertainment. Michael Simkin is producing for Efron’s Ninjas Runnin’ Wild Productions. Voltage is fully financing, with Jonathan Deckter and Ninjas Runnin’ Wild’s Jason Barrett serving as executive producers.
CAA Media Finance and UTA negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers. Voltage is handling international sales.