James Hetfield to make film debut in Ted Bundy movie

Heavy metal legend James Hetfield will make his big-screen acting debut in the upcoming Ted Bundy film “Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile”, starring Zac Efron as the infamous serial killer.

The Metallica front-man will portray Officer Bob Hayward, “a no-nonsense Utah highway patrol veteran who was the first law enforcement officer to arrest Bundy in 1975 after pulling the killer over and discovering burglary tools in his car but wisely suspecting much worse,” the film announced last week.

Hetfield has appeared in other films and television shows, including the Showtime series “Billions” in 2016. But his role in the Bundy film marks the first time the singer will portray a character.

Hetfield also has plenty of familiarity with “Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile” director Joe Berlinger, who previously helmed the Metallica documentary “Some Kind of Monster” as well as the West Memphis Three documentary “Paradise Lost”, which featured the heavy metal band's music.

“Having spent hundreds of hours behind the scenes with James and the rest of Metallica, I have experienced his charisma and powerful presence close up,” Berlinger said in a statement. “It seemed only natural that he would bring that same power and magnetism to a dramatic role, so when he agreed to my pitch that he be in the movie, I was thrilled.”

“Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile” also stars Lily Collins as Bundy's longtime girlfriend. Jim Parsons, John Malkovich, Angela Sarafyan and Haley Joel Osment also play supporting roles.

The film is currently in production, and no release date has been set.

Source: Hollywood Reporter