Killing Zac Efron is a new adventure series coming to Quibi. The 32-year-old star is often best known for his heartthrob status and six-pack abs, though he has managed a pretty solid acting resume over the years since he first made a name for himself.
Most recently, Efron starred as serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. The film generally failed to garner much acclaim from either audiences or critics, but Efron’s performance was often cited as a high point in what was otherwise a somewhat unremarkable production. Beyond the rather severe content and nature of Extremely Wicked, Efron has been pretty dedicated to the comedic genre for some time now, with turns in popular films such as Neighbors (as well as its 2016 sequel), Baywatch and The Disaster Artist. It should probably not come as a surprise to anyone that Efron is quite physically fit and as a result enjoys pushing his personal limits. In fact, back in 2014, Efron was the first guest of survival expert Bear Grylls on the Running Wild with Bear Grylls series.
With his penchant for exercise and taking on a solid challenge clear, Efron’s latest endeavor finds the star facing what could be his toughest work yet. According to a new press release from Zero Point Zero Productions, Efron is set to star in mobile video platform Quibi’s adventure series, Killing Zac Efron. Aside from starring in the reality series – which sees Efron tackle survival on a remote island, he’ll also be taking on executive producing duties. The series is set to launch on April 6, 2020 and with regards to this latest challenge, Efron had the following to say:
In addition to being dropped off on a remote island with only “basic gear, a guide partner and a will to survive”, Efron will endure the challenge for 21 days and will remain off grid the entire time. If the premise sounds somewhat familiar, that’s because it is – apparently Efron’s time spent with Grylls some five years ago had a lasting effecting on the star’s desire to explore. The main difference here between Efron and Grylls’ program, however, is that Killing Zach Efron is available exclusively to Quibi users. For the uninitiated, Quibi is a new mobile-first media technology that aims to bring on-the-go-mobile viewing to audiences. The brainchild of Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, Quibi intends to bring high quality content to its users in under 10 minutes per episode. With $1 billion already invested in its first year of content (which currently numbers over 7,000 episodes), the new service is funded by Warner Bros. and Disney.
“I tend to thrive under extreme circumstances and seek out opportunities that challenge me on every level. I am excited to explore any uncharted territory and discover what unexpected adventure awaits!”
In a way, one could make a solid point that the biggest risk that Efron is facing with this concept is not that he’ll meet his demise on a deserted island somewhere, but that Quibi won’t find the success it requires for the show to work. The reality survival series is hardly a new concept at this point, and unless Efron is upping the ante in the 10 minutes during which one of the episodes of Killing Zac Efron will air, it’s hard to see him drawing attention away from the likes of Survivor, or Grylls’ newest upcoming series, World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji. Still, Efron’s fanbase is hefty and 10 minutes of the star with his shirt off could be more than enough for some to stay devoted.
Next: Quibi Explained: The Millenial Streaming Service Funded By Disney & WB
Source: Zero Point Zero
