EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominee John Malkovich has boarded the Ted Bundy feature thriller Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, and will play Judge Edward Cowart, who presided over the serial killer’s 1979 trial, sentencing him to death.

Malkovich joins Zac Efron, who is playing Bundy, and Lily Collins, who is portraying the serial killer’s longtime girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer, in the Joe Berlinger-directed film. Bundy’s trial was nationally televised and drew media attention as he eventually represented himself and developed a rapport with the Florida Judge. The pic is told from the point of view of Elizabeth, who had no knowledge of the murders while they were together.

Malkovich recently appeared in Deepwater Horizon and is best known for his roles in the iconic films In the Line of Fire, Dangerous Liaisons, and Con Air. He is repped by WME.

Berlinger, who was nominated for a feature doc Oscar for Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory four years ago, is directing off an original screenplay by Michael Werwie, who won the Nicholl Fellowship first prize and was featured on the Black List.

Ara Keshishian and Nicolas Chartier are producing for Voltage Pictures. Michael Costigan is producing for COTA Entertainment. Michael Simkin is producing for Efron’s Ninjas Runnin Wild Productions. Voltage is fully financing, with Jonathan Deckter and Alchemy Entertainment’s Jason Barrett as executive producers.

The project was announced by Voltage Pictures at Cannes 2017. Production is scheduled to begin on January 18.