Deadly

Franco to Play Serial Killer

Will also direct The Night Stalker.

Actor, writer, director...stalker? James Franco will play the part of real-life stalker and killer Richard Ramirez in the upcoming film, The Night Stalker based on Philip Carlo's book of the same name. Franco will also be directing the film this summer when he's on break from his studies at Yale. The lead singer of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell, is co-producing the movie along with Nicolas Constantine who wrote the screenplay. Ramirez was found guilty of 13 counts of murder, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries after a rampage in 1985. He's currently sitting on death row in California. Carlo died two months ago after battling Lou Gehrig's disease. His wife says that Carlo "was very impressed" with Cornell and Franco's vision for the film.