Austin Butler is officially our new Patrick Bateman in the upcoming reimagining of American Psycho.
The news may come as a surprise to many given rumours had been circling online that Australian heartthrob, Jacob Elordi, was being courted for the role. Clearly Elordi and Butler possess a similar je ne sais quoi, given both recently portrayed Elvis Presley in albeit very different films; Sofia Soppola’s Priscilla and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.
As for American Psycho, the project won’t be a remake of the 2000 film but instead be a fresh adaptation of the original source—the novel by Bret Easton Ellis.
Given Butler’s penchant for method acting, famously adopting Elvis’ deep and crooning linguistical traits, we’re waiting with bated breath to see how the Dune star handles this one.
What Will The American Psycho Remake Be About?
The original film, famously starring Christian Bale in the role of Bateman, was set in the 1980s and followed the bloody trail of Wall Street finance bro and serial killer.
While we know the remake will be a new telling based on the book, rather than a remake of the film, exactly how Luca Guadagnino plans on bringing it to life, remains unseen. The Italian film director is responsible for some of the biggest cinematic hits of the past decade including Challengers, Call Me By Your Name and the upcoming Queer.
Guadagnino’s interpretation of Bateman could look very different to previous iterations, but given his past works, we expect just as intense.
What Differs From The American Psycho Book
Believe it or not, the novel was far more gruesome than the 2000 film we’ve all come to know. Director Mary Harron previously revealed she chose to lean into the comical nature of Bateman’s most superficial traits and comment on materialism through a feminist lens.
The results were some of the movie’s most iconic scenes, including the businessman’s rigorous morning skincare routine, the business card blunder and the importance of a reservation.
“I had a lot of thoughts about the 1980s and a lot of things I wanted to criticise and make fun of about the 1980s. And I thought that this film could be about something interesting that was not about the violence or the torture,” Harron told London Review.
Who Else Is Cast In The American Psycho Remake?
The announcement of Austin Butler as lead role of Patrick Bateman is the first, and so far only, casting confirmation for the film. Given Guadagnino is helming the project we have high hopes for the rest of the cast, check back here for more details as they’re announced.
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