American Psycho author making first horror movie with Stranger Things star

Bret Easton Ellis, the author behind American Psycho, is about to make his directorial debut with a horror movie – and it’ll include a breakout star from Stranger Things.

Ellis penned one of the most controversial novels of the ’90s: American Psycho, following an investment banker who moonlights as a serial killer. Forget mergers and acquisitions, he’s into murders and executions.

While he’s written seven other novels, a non-fiction book, and five movies, it remains his most notorious and revered work, particularly off the back of Christian Bale’s iconic performance as Patrick Bateman in Mary Harron’s adaptation at the turn of the millennium.

Now, he’s making a larger pivot to filmmaking with his own horror movie, where he’ll step behind the camera for the first time.

American Psycho writer directing horror movie with Stranger Things star

Ellis is set to direct Relapse, an “elevated horror film” that’ll star Joseph Quinn, best known for playing Eddie Munson in Stranger Things.

According to Variety, he’ll star as Matt Cullen, who “checks into rehab after witnessing a horrific death during a drugged-up party.” However, when he tries to get his life back on track, everything seems a little… off when he moves back into his parent’s home.

The synopsis also reads: “Fueled by his unstable personality and the invading power of social media, Matt’s paranoia grows, messing up with his rehabilitation program. As he starts using again, a mysterious presence starts growing around Matt, and a monster that has been haunting him since he was a teenager reveals itself. His therapist tries to help, convinced that the monster is actually in Matt’s head.”

Ellis told the outlet there’s a “simplicity” to the movie that “seems like the perfect form for my directing debut: something direct and impactful.”

Rest assured, it’ll feature Ellis’ hallmarks: “young, handsome, and rich” characters and “sex, drugs, and paranoia,” as well as being a “fun, lush, and commercial feature film for a lot of people to enjoy.”

Relapse doesn’t have a release date right now, nor is it clear when it’ll hit cinemas or if it’ll come to streaming.