Could it be a sign of serial killer culture making a re-emergence into the mainstream?
In case you didn't know, serial killer Aaron Saucedo was recently apprehended in Phoenix, Arizona in a case that made national headlines, and realtor Todd Kohlhepp is awaiting trail for several high-profile kidnappings and murders in South Carolina.
Mass shootings and gun control are being talked about less and less. Pop culture is about to (re)invent itself a new bogeyman.
Strange topic, I know. But it ties into cultural trends regardless and is a sign that the politicial/social atmosphere is definitely changing if this is the case, if Zac Efron's Ted Bundy role proves to be a HUGE success (critical and commercial) and serial killer cases continue to make the headlines more today than just 2-4 years ago.

Could it be a sign of serial killer culture making a re-emergence into the mainstream?
In case you didn't know, serial killer Aaron Saucedo was recently apprehended in Phoenix, Arizona in a case that made national headlines, and realtor Todd Kohlhepp is awaiting trail for several high-profile kidnappings and murders in South Carolina.
Mass shootings and gun control are being talked about less and less. Pop culture is about to (re)invent itself a new bogeyman.
Strange topic, I know. But it ties into cultural trends regardless and is a sign that the politicial/social atmosphere is definitely changing if this is the case, if Zac Efron's Ted Bundy role proves to be a HUGE success (critical and commercial) and serial killer cases continue to make the headlines more today than just 2-4 years ago.


Serial Killers were huge, in the news, in the 1970's and 1980's.

Serial Killers were huge, in the news, in the 1970's and 1980's.


I know. And immediately after that, the hype regarding serial killers and cults (remember Koresh?) died out and mass shootings/terrorism took its place, starting roughly during the mid 1990s with the Oklahoma city bombing and persisting til today (but peaking in the last 5-10 years). Now mass shootings, like the recent one in Ohio, don't get all the hype and outcry they used to just 2-4 years ago. But serial killers are beginning to garner more and more attention from the mainstream media AND the general public. A biopic on Jeffrey Dahmer is slated for release by the end of the year. "I Am Not A Serial Killer" was released a few months ago, and is rising to cult classic status. Aaron Saucedo's capture got modest attention from the news (cnn, nbc) and now.... Teen heartthrob Efron is to play Ted Bundy....

I know. And immediately after that, the hype regarding serial killers and cults (remember Koresh?) died out and mass shootings/terrorism took its place, starting roughly during the mid 1990s with the Oklahoma city bombing and persisting til today (but peaking in the last 5-10 years). Now mass shootings, like the recent one in Ohio, don't get all the hype and outcry they used to just 2-4 years ago. But serial killers are beginning to garner more and more attention from the mainstream media AND the general public. A biopic on Jeffrey Dahmer is slated for release by the end of the year. "I Am Not A Serial Killer" was released a few months ago, and is rising to cult classic status. Aaron Saucedo's capture got modest attention from the news (cnn, nbc) and now.... Teen heartthrob Efron is to play Ted Bundy....


And by Columbine, we were in a whole new era of killers.  :o

Oh yeah, serial killers were big until roughly the early to mid-90's, you're right.

I remember when Zac Efron got popular ever since High School Musical came out 11 years ago. When I saw the Baywatch trailer with Dwayne Johnson standing next to Zac Efron I had no idea he was much shorter in height.

Serial Killers were huge, in the news, in the 1970's and 1980's.


They were big in the 90's too.

The 7-year-old daughter of one of my employees was raped and murdered by a serial killer in Indiana 23 years ago. If that guy ever gets out of jail, there will be plenty of steel workers waiting for him at the gate.  >:(

WTF!? Why are they making some pretty boy play this gruesome killer? Zac Afron should go back to singing girly songs for the Disney Channel.

They were big in the 90's too.

The 7-year-old daughter of one of my employees was raped and murdered by a serial killer in Indiana 23 years ago. If that guy ever gets out of jail, there will be plenty of steel workers waiting for him at the gate.  >:(


I think they're still somewhat 'popular', as in people are curious as to why someone would kill 50+ people, without any remorse.

As for that 7 year old, dear God, that's horrible. I can't imagine being in that kind of pain at 7 years old.

As for that 7 year old, dear God, that's horrible. I can't imagine being in that kind of pain at 7 years old.


As soon as she was murdered, my company put up a $50,000 reward for anybody who could ID the perp.

Of course all sorts of bleeding hearts came out making excuses for the piece of human trash who committed her murder (and several other murders) and he did not get the death penalty. He should have been shot on sight.