Real life serial killers being portrayed in the movies as well as America’s obsession with them are not new phenomenons.  From Michael Rooker’s break out performance in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer to pre-Hurt Locker Jeremy’s Renner’s portrayal of Dahmer in the self-titled film, stars have been making names for themselves based off of these real life killers for decades.  Even horror veteran Kane Hodder has portrayed two real life serial killers; Ed Gein and Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK Strangler.

However a resurgence is on the rise in the serial killer sub-genre, and an unlikely theme is starting to emerge.  While purely coincidental, two previous Disney channel stars have taken up the reigns as serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer.  Former High School the Musical star Zac Efron has signed onto Joe Berlinger’s project Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile as sadistic serial killer Ted Bundy.  Extremely Wicked will be told from the point of view of Bundy’s longtime girlfriend, and there is no doubt we will see Efron put his baby blues to the test when manipulating her gaze away from his sadistic activities.

Ross Lynch, a former Disney star as well, has recently finished filming a project where he portrayed homosexual cannibal and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.  Unlike Berlinger’s film, this movie will not be set during the killing years of his life, instead it takes place during his last year of high school, three months before his first murder.  The movie is meant to portray the psyche of the high school senior both at home and in school before he took that fatal step over the killing line.  The biopic in titled My Friend Dahmer and is based off of the graphic novel under the same title by Derf Backderf, and is directed by Marc Meyers.

However, we must ask ourselves; In an America that glorifies violence, especially by the acts of serial killers, how will the portrayal of two of the most ruthless men to have ever been put through the criminal justice system be received when portrayed by two men who’s fan bases are made up of girls who see them as desirable heart throbs?

American audiences have already seen something similar back in the ‘80s when heart throb Mark Harmon portrayed Ted Bundy in the NBC TV movie The Deliberate Stranger.  This was at a time in Harmon’s career where he was seen as a very attractive and desirable man.  In fact, the same year the TV movie came out Harmon was announced by People’s magazine as the sexiest man alive.  Harmon captured the hearts of many, just as the real Ted did in his days before his capture.

1986 People Magazine cover

The movie begins with the murder of one of Bundy’s later victims, skipping over six previous females who fell victim to his sadistic urges earlier in his life.  The movie then proceeds to follow his trail of victims across the country and into his trial and eventual sentencing.  Chillingly Ted Bundy sat on death row while the TV movie aired on NBC, but according to his lawyer Bundy showed no interest in viewing it.

Resulting from the success of the movie and the handsome portrayal by Harmon fresh life was breathed back into the Bundy case and a whole new generation of groupies were created.  The movie captured Bundy’s charm.  It favored the charismatic and attractive Dr. Jekyll side, while it shied away from the evil and sadistic Mr. Hyde.

True crime author Ann Rule recited her experience knowing the real life serial killer in her book The Stranger Beside Me.  In later editions she recalled the many letters she received after the premier of The Deliberate Stranger.  Women of all ages claimed Bundy was wrongfully convicted and proclaimed their support.  The author took the time to write these ladies and explained they were misplacing their affection for the actor who played Bundy onto the serial killer himself.

This makes me wonder if a new generation of groupies will be born in the wake of the two new movies Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile and My Friend Dahmer.  Fortunately these men are no longer threats among us.  Dahmer was killed in November 1994 in prison by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver.  Scarver claimed God had told him to do it.  After several stays of execution Ted Bundy was finally put to death in January 1989 in Florida State Prison by the electric chair.

While both of these criminals in the upcoming movies are now deceased and can no longer corrupt young and impressionable minds through written communication, future movies and media coverage will continue to glorify present and new criminals.