American Psycho – Updates on Luca Guadagnino's Reinterpretation

With recent successes like Bones and All and the remake of Suspiria under his belt, director Luca Guadagnino is working on a new reinterpretation of American Psycho, the controversial novel by Bret Easton Ellis published in 1991. Produced by Lionsgate, the project has been in development for some time and will feature Scott Z. Burns (screenwriter of Contagion and The Report) on the screenplay.

In recent months, rumors of a possible gender reversal had multiplied, with Margot Robbie in an unprecedented female version of Patrick Bateman. Unfortunately, however, Deadline clarified that the rumors have no foundation whatsoever: the new version will retain the male protagonist and will not be a remake of the 2000 film directed by Mary Harron, but a different interpretation of the novel.

This also won't be a simple remake

The casting question, however, remains open. Austin Butler and Jacob Elordi have both been linked to the lead role, but neither currently has a contract. Made famous by Christian Bale's iconic performance, the character is a young Wall Street yuppie who hides a psychopathic and sadistic personality beneath a veneer of success.

In fact, the theme of an "American Psycho" is not at all new: in 2002, American Psycho 2 was released, a direct-to-video sequel starring Mila Kunis as a criminology student obsessed with the serial killer. Guadagnino, however, seems intent on returning to the disturbing and satirical roots of the original.