Austin Butler is poised to take the lead in Luca Guadagnino's fresh adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' iconic novel, "American Psycho," under the Lionsgate banner. Amid whispers that Jacob Elordi might embody Patrick Bateman, those casting whispers ultimately faded into silence. Interestingly, Elordi and Butler share a cinematic link, both having portrayed vastly different iterations of Elvis Presley in films helmed by Sofia Coppola ("Priscilla") and Baz Luhrmann ("Elvis"), respectively.
Penned by Scott Z. Burns, who previously wrote "The Laundromat," this upcoming film will not mirror the 2000 silver screen version but will forge its own path as a novel adaptation. The original 2000 movie, set in the glitzy 1980s, starred Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a Wall Street yuppie moonlighting as a serial killer. Now, under Guadagnino's expert lens—renowned for his work on "Call Me by Your Name," "Challengers," and the recent "Queer"—this new interpretation may lean more heavily into erotic undertones than the original horror-satire hybrid. Guadagnino, who has also ventured into genre-bending territory with "Suspiria" and "Bones and All," will undoubtedly imbue Patrick Bateman with a fresh, distinctive persona.
As Butler prepares to don the protagonist's shoes, Guadagnino could sculpt the character in a manner vastly removed from its predecessor. Just recently, Guadagnino concluded the shoot of "After the Hunt," featuring Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield. His last two endeavors, "Queer" and "Challengers," garnered Golden Globes nominations, with Daniel Craig ("Queer") up for Best Actor and Zendaya competing for Best Actress in "Challengers," which is also nominated for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Best Original Score.
