Anna Kendrick Is Directing a Movie About 1 of the Scariest Serial Killers of All Time
Anna Kendrick is an accomplished actor you’ll recognize from several notable Hollywood movies. These days, Kendrick is branching out and trying her hand at directing. The 37-year-old’s upcoming directorial work will be a Netflix film about a terrifying serial killer. Here’s what we know so far:
Anna Kendrick has had several notable roles
Kendrick started her career as a theater actor. When she was 12, Kendrick appeared in the Broadway musical High Society, which allowed her to gain some recognition. She even received a Tony Award nomination.
In the late 2000s and 2010s, Kendrick became known for some movie roles. Most notably, she played Bella Swan’s school friend Jessica Stanley in the Twilight movie series. She also played Natalie Keener in the 2009 film Up in the Air and Beca Mitchell in the Pitch Perfect movies.
Other films Kendrick is known for include Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Into the Woods (2014), The Accountant (2016), A Simple Favor (2016), and the Trolls movie series.
Kendrick has also worked on TV series. She starred on the show Dummy as well as Love Life. Kendrick was an executive producer for both of these shows.
Anna Kendrick is directing a true crime movie
Soon, fans will get to see Kendrick’s directing skills. The star is working on a Netflix true crime film called The Dating Game.
As Kendrick explained during a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, “It’s based on a thing that really happened in the 1970s. This woman went on The Dating Game, and the man that she chose was a serial killer. Crazy, crazy true story.”
Kendrick refers to Rodney Alcala, linked to at least eight murders in the late ’60s and throughout the ’70s. In the middle of his spree, Alcala went on a popular TV show called The Dating Game and met a woman named Cheryl Bradshaw. However, even though Bradshaw picked Alcala on the show, she did not end up going on a date with him.
Kendrick plays Bradshaw. Meanwhile, Alcala is played by Daniel Zovatto. Kendrick thoroughly enjoyed her directing experience, telling Kimmel it was “the most fun I’ve had in years.”
What’s on Netflix states that the movie will finish filming in March 2023 with principal photography complete. Its release date is unknown, so it is possible fans can watch the movie in late 2023 or early 2024.
What else do we know about Rodney Alcala’s case?
Alcala was arrested in 1979 after police linked him to the murder of a 12-year-old girl. According to The Washington Post, he was later convicted of killing seven people.
In 1980, Alcala was sentenced to death for the murders, but the California Supreme Court overturned the conviction. He was sentenced to death again in 1986, but an appeal court nullified the conviction years later.
After more trials, he was sentenced to death for the third time in 2010. Still, he continued to be charged with more murders as DNA evidence would tie him to several unsolved cases from the ’70s. Some experts believe he might have been involved in as many as 130 killings.
Alcala died of natural causes in 2021 while on death row in California. He was 77 years old.
