Luca Guadagnino’s ‘American Psycho’ to Star Austin Butler as Patrick Bateman

Luca Guadagnino (Bones and All, Suspiria) will direct a brand new interpretation of the 1991 book American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis for Lionsgate, and Variety has announced this morning that Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two) will star as serial killer Patrick Bateman.

Scott Z. Burns pens the script, which is said to be a new adaptation of Ellis’s novel and not a remake of the 2000 film. Burns most recently created the Apple TV+ limited series “Extrapolations.”

In the story, “A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale in the 2000 movie), hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.”

It’s quite likely that Guadagnino and Butler will have a drastically different version of the character that Christian Bale made unforgettable in director Mary Harron’s adaptation.

The new film will be produced by Frenesy Films, executive produced by Sam Pressman, son of Edward R. Pressman, producer of the first adaptation, through his company Pressman Film.

“We are thrilled to add another elite filmmaker to our upcoming slate,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson. “Luca is a brilliant artist, and the perfect visionary to create a whole new interpretation of this potent and classic IP.”

Jacob Elordi was considered the frontrunner to play Patrick Bateman in the upcoming adaptation, which makes Austin Butler an unexpected choice. Elordi will, however, play the Monster in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.

With this key casting locked down for the upcoming film, expect more details about the project to arrive soon.