Nicknamed "Vikar," Ike Jerome, a 24-year-old architecture student inspired by the few films he has seen, rides the bus into Hollywood.

Jerome is initially portrayed as violent and short tempered, his social ineptitude is slowly revealed as borderline autistic.

Zeroville is partially a critique of the ways movies and Hollywood changed in the 1970s, as the old studios are taken over by young renegade filmmakers.

Many actors, writers and directors popular in the 1970s make appearances, including Robert De Niro, John Milius, Margot Kidder, Ryan O'Neal, Ali MacGraw, Paul Schrader, Luciano Damiani, Brian De Palma, and the ghost of Montgomery Clift.

[1] A motion picture adaptation of Zeroville starring James Franco and Megan Fox was released in September 2019.