American Psycho lands Dune 2 star Austin Butler as Patrick Bateman

Luca Guadagnino’s forthcoming American Psycho adaptation just landed serious star power for its unnerving protagonist, Patrick Bateman.

The Bret Easton Ellis brilliant but brutal novel was a notorious send-up of 1980’s corporate culture, overcoming publishing difficulties to become a bestseller. The brilliant Mary Harron film adaptation (surprise!) had further difficulties getting past American censors, but Christian Bale’s gleefully unhinged turn as Patrick Bateman cemented the film’s place in horror-thriller history.

When Luca Guadagnino was revealed to be making a new American Psycho adaptation, it had some fans of the original worried. Putting at least some fears to rest, he found a flawless choice to embody the murderous, striving charmer Patrick Bateman.

From Butler to Bateman

Lionsgate

Variety reported today that Austin Butler will be taking on the lead role in Guadagnino’s take on the novel. Reports indicate that the new project will be a new adaptation of the novel, rather than a remake of the Harron classic. This keeps the project much in the spirit of Guadagnino’s take on Suspiria, which was a respectful but innovative take on the material that went in surprising directions.

While Guadagnino is well known for thoughtful LGBTQ outings like Call Me By Your Name and Queer, he’s also built strong credentials for uncompromising, bloody horror films like the aforementioned Suspiria or the excellent cannibal romance Bones and All. There’s little reason to expect anything less than a no-holds-barred adaptation of the Ellis classic (though chances are the project will yet again have issues getting past censors).

As for Butler, he’s is a strong choice for Bateman, a complex character who needs to be both slick and charming in public and murderously unhinged in private. Between Butler’s impressive charisma as Elvis in Baz Lurhmann’s musical biopic, and his seductive yet terrifying turn as Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, Austin Butler clearly has the range to play the multifaceted role.