EXCLUSIVE: Anne Heche has drawn the role of the mother of cannibalistic murderer Jeffrey Dahmer in My Friend Dahmer, an adaptation of the award-winning graphic novel by John Backderf that is about to begin production. Ross Lynch plays Dahmer in his formative years. Marc Meyers wrote the Black List script and is directing. Heche is in negotiations. Alex Wolff plays the role of a graphic artist, and Vincent Kartheiser is also starring.

The pic begins shooting shortly in Akron, including in the actual house where Dahmer grew up. The unusual film follows Dahmer through his senior year of high school and takes him right up to two weeks after high school graduation, when he committed his first murder. Ibid Filmworks producing partners Marc Meyers and Jody Girgenti are producing with Adam Goldworm of Aperture Entertainment, Milan Chakraborty of Attic Light Films and Michael Merlob.

Heche is repped by Untitled and Paradigm; Wolff is with CAA and Untitled, and Kartheiser is with Paradigm and Untitled.