It’s been settled: Austin Butler will step into Patrick Bateman’s crocodile loafers (from A. Testoni) for Luca Guadagnino’s remake of American Psycho. It was a contested casting battle for the part, with Jacob Elordi being rumored to star in the new interpretation of the postmodern classic. But while both Elordi and Butler have both played versions of Elvis in recent years, only Butler will be stepping into the iconic role, Variety reports. Here’s everything we know about the adaptation so far:
How different will the new American Psycho be?
Guadagnino has emphasized that this will not be a remake of the first film, which starred Christian Bale as the titular villain, but rather a completely new interpretation of the 1991 Bret Easton Ellis novel. While plot details are still under wraps, this could mean the new film might be set in modern times—which would diverge from the 1980s fashion and music that defined the original movie.
Directed by Mary Harron, American Psycho was released in 2000 and quickly became a cult classic, thanks to Bale’s portrayal of a chilling archetype of Wall Street narcissism and psychopathy. With his tailored suits, slicked-back hair, surgical-precision skincare, and cleaning routines, the serial killer has become a symbol of American masculinity run amok and, perhaps unsurprisingly, a moodboard muse.
Guadagnino’s new adaptation of the novel was written by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Informant). The Call Me By Your Name director is currently promoting the Daniel Craig-starring Queer and the Zendaya-starring Challengers, which just received four Golden Globe nominations. Next year, his college-set thriller After the Hunt (starring Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield) hits theaters, and he’s also attached to an adaption of the 1989 novel Separate Rooms, starring Josh O’Connor and Léa Seydoux.
Who else is in the cast?
No other cast members have been announced so far, besides Butler, who received an Oscar nomination for playing Elvis in Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic. This year he was in both Dune: Part Two and The Bikeriders, and is also set to star in Ari Aster’s upcoming comedy western and Darren Aronofsky’s ’90s crime thriller Caught Stealing with Zoë Kravitz.
The original cast included Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Chloë Sevigny, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon.
When is the release date?
There is no projected release date yet; stay tuned.
