The remake of American Psycho has found its Patrick Bateman. Variety is reporting that Austin Butler has been cast in director Luca Guadagnino’s reimagining of the Bret Easton Ellis, which was already adapted into a cult film starring Christian Bale in 2000.
Jacob Elordi was apparently also in the mix for the role, but Butler was ultimately chosen for the part. This new film will not be a remake of the 2000 film, but will instead go back to the original source material. The original 2000 film follows Patrick Bateman, a New York businessman whose nightlife involves killing people with an axe at the height of Reagans-era excess.
We don’t know how this new adaptation might differ from the original film, but Butler’s casting might give us some clues about where the director is headed. Butler is a pretty boy, and Guadagnino’s films have always had a sensual edge, so it seems possible that his Patrick Bateman could be more seductive than Bale’s. It’s also possible that Guadagnino avoids some of the more satirical elements of the story, which have never been his forte, in favor of emphasizing the more straightforward horror elements.
Butler is best known for his leading role in Elvis, and for his supporting role in Dune: Part 2. His star has certainly been on the rise in recent years, and now it appears that Guadagnino has decided to give him a major role. Given how indelible many think Christian Bale’s performance is, he has a lot to live up to when we finally see his version of the character.
