The news of Luca Guadagnino’s plan for a new American Psycho brought with it one central question: Who is going to play Patrick Bateman? Simply put, that actor would have some gigantic shoes to fill because Christian Bale’s performance as the murderous yuppie is one for the ages and still revered today. Well, now we know it’ll be Austin Butler taking on that monumental task.
Variety reports Austin Butler will play Patrick Bateman in Guadagnino’s new version of American Psycho. The story, based on the Brett Easton Ellis novel, is set in the “greed is good” 1980s and follows Bateman, a young investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. The original film was directed by Mary Harron.
Jacob Elordi was the other actor heavily rumored for the Bateman role. Both Elordi and Butler have played Elvis Presley in different movies recently.
Scott Z. Burns is writing the screenplay although it’s unclear how faithful to the source material it’ll be. Will it remain a period piece or take place in the present day? The latter sounds a lot more interesting to me at this point.
Butler is, obviously, one of the hottest actors around and has been staying busy with roles in Dune: Part Two and The Bikeriders. He’ll be seen next in Ari Aster’s latest, Eddington, and Darren Aronofsky’s film Caught Stealing.
It’s unclear where American Psycho will slot in for Guadagnino. He also has a Sgt. Rock movie in the works that could go first.
