Christian Bale's ‘American Psycho’ team breaks silence on planned new film

As American Psycho marks its 25th anniversary, the team behind the 2000 cult classic, directed by Mary Harron and starring Christian Bale as the murderous banker Patrick Bateman, has shared mixed feelings about Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel.

Lionsgate announced Guadagnino, known for Challengers, will direct a new take on the 1980s satire, with a script by Scott Z. Burns. Guadagnino teased the project at CinemaCon, calling Ellis’ 1991 book a profound influence.

Matt Ross, who played a co-worker in Harron’s film, expressed skepticism about remakes, citing “mercenary capitalism” but praised Guadagnino as a “wonderful filmmaker.” He likened the project to Shakespearean reinterpretations, noting the book’s multiple possible visions, though he believes Bale’s “exceptional” performance sets a high bar.

Producer Chris Hanley, open to revisiting intellectual property, endorsed Guadagnino’s track record, saying, “He’s never made a bad movie.” Hanley, who is exploring a Spring Breakers follow-up, dismissed critics of the new American Psycho.

Guadagnino confirmed the script is shaping up well but offered no casting details. Rumors last year linked Austin Butler to the lead, though casting director Kerry Barden, who worked on the original, suggested Butler for Jared Leto’s role of Paul Allen due to his “beautiful” look, akin to Leto’s.

Co-producer Alessandro Camon acknowledged the challenge of reimagining an iconic role but compared it to actors finding new takes on classic characters like Hamlet.

Lionsgate emphasized that Guadagnino’s film will draw from the novel, not remake Harron’s movie. While the original team respects Guadagnino’s vision, they remain curious about how he will tackle the story’s dark satire. With no release date announced, anticipation builds for this fresh interpretation of a cultural touchstone.