Thirty years after Ted Bundy’s execution, there are still movies, books, and podcasts from those who study the life and mind of him, fascinated by the horrors of his story. On January 28th, Netflix released a documentary series observing the killer and his crimes through the voices of journalist, friends, and the man himself in Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. Within the same week, a trailer for the movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile was released. This was nothing new in terms of Hollywood using historical events to spread awareness and become top at the box office. There has been an overwhelming amount of backlash from people across the media asking the same question: When does talk surrounding criminals stop being a healthy conversation, and become a celebration?

After the release of the Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile trailer, Zac Efron being cast as Ted Bundy has become a controversial topic. Zac Efron is known to be somewhat of a teenage heartthrob, so him playing the role of a mass murder isn’t a part of his High School Musical brand. Critics of the trailer claim that casting Zac Efron romanticizes Ted Bundy. Through a minute and forty-eight second trailer viewers got the idea that Joe Berlinger, the film’s director, choose to portray Bundy as a misunderstood character.

It’s no secret that Hollywood adaptations use popular, attractive actors and actresses to draw a larger audience to theaters despite them being the complete opposite of who they’re supposed to be. Although this happens often, this isn’t one of those cases. Ted Bundy was always described as attractive and charming. Someone who could easily catch your eye and keep you engaged long enough to build a bond of trust. Whether it’s a detail about him we want to accept, his looks and charm are what people close to him recall the most. People who were just as shocked, scared, and confused to learn that their friend was a killer.

The film is told through the eyes of Bundy’s ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer, played by Lily Collins. This is an important detail of the film that is not made clear through the trailer. It isn’t so much of an in depth expose of the heinous crimes of Bundy, but instead the retelling of events from someone close to him. Her point of view should make the audience consider if they would recognize a monster as the passed you on the street or lay next you at night.

Instead of blindly becoming a victim of outrage culture, it’s important to view the history of the film and it’s intent. The film has yet to be released to the public and already people are boycotting as if that will take away the purpose of the movie. The problem doesn’t lie within the trailer, directing, or even production. The problem isn’t that an attractive person was casted to play another attractive person. The real problem is society’s tendency to selectively villainize or accept those who confirm our personal beliefs. This is a flaw in our society that is shown in the horrific killings of Ted Bundy and in people’s reactions to the Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Until the film is released for the public to see, an open mind should be kept and judgments should wait on stand-by.

While observing the story and crimes of Ted Bundy, it is important to recognize and honor his victims. Below are the victims who have been identified:

Karen Sparks (age 18), Lynda Ann Healy (21), Donna Gail Manson (19), Susan Elaine Rancourt (18), Roberta Kathleen Parks (22), Brenda Carol Ball (22), Georgann Hawkins (18), Janice Ann Ott (23), Denise Marie Naslund (19), Nancy Wilcox (16), Melissa Anne Smith (17), Laura Ann Aime (17), Carol DaRonch (18), Debra Jean Kent (17), Caryn Eileen Campbell (23), Julie Cunningham (26), Denise Lynn Oliverson (25), Lynette Dawn Culver (12), Susan Curtis (15), Lisa Levy (20), Margaret Elizabeth Bowman (21), Karen Chandler (21), Kathy Kleiner (21), Cheryl Thomas (21), Kimberly Diane Leach (12)