A couple of days ago, we shared a time-lapse video posted to Instagram by Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil, and Vile star Zac Efron undergoing his transformation from hunky Hollywood heavyweight to savage serial killer Ted Bundy, and I must say, the end result is quite remarkable. The clip was posted in celebration of the film wrapping production, and while the biopic is still without an official release date, we’ve now got a first look at another of the thriller’s leading men, John Malkovich.
Portraying Judge Edward Cowart in the pic, who presided over the case and ultimately sentenced Bundy to death, Malkovich is seen conversing with co-star Zac Efron behind the scenes. Also captured in these photos is Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons, who’ll play lead prosecutor Larry Simpson. Here, he can be seen cooly keeping his calm at what appears to be a rather intense moment.
Check out the gallery below and see for yourself:
While Extremely Wicked will provide its lead, Zac Efron, with a role seemingly unbefitting of the actor, it was actually another casting choice that caught many by surprise. That’s because Metallica frontman James Hetfield was brought on to play Officer Bob Hayward, “a no-nonsense Utah highway patrol veteran,” whom we got our first look at not that long ago. Suffice it to say, he should make for an interesting addition to the line-up.
Told through the eyes of Bundy’s long-time partner Elizabeth Kloepfer, played by Lily Collins, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile is said to focus on the killer’s charming personality more than the brutal murders that resulted from it. Bundy’s trial was the first to be nationally televised in the United States, too, and was covered by over 250 reporters from five different continents, so his story is a pretty interesting one and we can’t wait to see it brought to life when the film hits theaters.