Hollywood Keeps Casting Hot Serial Killers — And We Seem to Like It?

Zac efron., Pen badglie., Evan Peters., Michael K. Hall -These actors are not just attractive men who have collected significant fanbases from high profile projects. They all played serial killers.

“Do you have something to say to people who say they want to meet Joe, despite the slight disadvantage of killing people?” Stephen Colbert Once asked Badgli for the huge response to the public to his fictional character Youwho kills over a dozen people in the Netflix series.

“I struggle significantly with the conflict to play such a person and he is partly so pleasant and people have one, as we say, a thirsty answer to him,” he replied.

After his premiere for life in 2018, You It quickly became a stunning success, moving to Netflix in 2019, where four more seasons were produced. The last season will be premiered on April 24th in the streaming service.

But you don’t distort it: the presence of hot serial killers on television is not a new phenomenon. Dexter Premiered in 2006, and Efron presented the infamous known Ted Bundy In a 2019 Netflix movie, yet America’s intrusion with the real crime gave way to more and more stories about brutal killers, and the audience is eating it.

Peters had viewers who fell for him as one of the most encouraging killers of all time in 2022. Damer; Patrick Gibson Stars in last year’s background Dexter: Original Sin; Tom Bateman prompted new parts of fans to laugh over it in the Peacock Meta True Crime series Based on a true story and Dennis Quaid depict Keith Jaspersenwho once claimed to have up to 160 casualties in the upcoming Paramount series Happy faceS

In the case of Bateman, Liano liberatoTori’s character falls in love with his character Matt – despite the fact that she is well aware of his status as the fictional serial killer The West Side Ripper.

“Playing someone who does these terrible things is interesting because it provokes a moral dilemma,” Baitman told The Hollywood Reporter In 2023 of Based on a true storyS “But I felt [that] He turned so big in such a comedy way that he allowed you ease of touch and something like a parody for him. “

We can all agree with the actions of these characters are terrible, deplorable and unethical, but fans are lusting on them. (If you don’t believe USALook for Tiktok’s DEXTER MORGAN EDIT – you’ll scroll for hours.)

“I call it a bad boy’s syndrome,” a criminologist ScottDoctor of Sciences who is the author Why we love serial killers: The curious attractiveness of the world’s most killers in the worldto say US Weekly From the phenomenon, noting that the killers who are imprisoned or fictional killers on the screen provide fantasy without risk to viewers. “This attraction does not cause them the potential of physical harm because this individual is controlled. They are behind bars or on television. The fantasy in your mind is very different from Ted Bundy, which is actually shown at your door. “

Bonn noted that 75 to 80 percent of those present in his National tour The serial killers are women, warns viewers to take images of grain salt killer, calling them “fun from popcorn.” He said the projects “[dilute] True story by definition. This is not a reality, although it is based on the truth and is served in a way that provides mass attractiveness. “

He continued: “As far as you portray the perpetrator as a person who has some redemptive qualities and even sex appeal, then I think you are potentially doing the victims.”

Like any production, it makes sense that a good -looking actor will be portrayed as a leading person, regardless of the hero’s moral compass. And it’s no wonder their fans will flow to see their last job. But, reminds Bonn USABy giving stories of true crimes of Hollywood treatment, “you have lost some of the integrity of the case itself.”

So as long as we can get a thrill, watching our favorite stars break bad, let’s remember that all this is just part of the storytelling – and the reaction they hope for!