Luca Guadagnino's American Psycho has found its Patrick Bateman in Austin Butler, instantly making the project 100% more interesting
I have to return some videotapes.
Mary Harron's American Psycho (2000) has become sort of a modern classic over the years despite not being super well-received back in the day. The secret? Christian Bale's killer performance. Now, we've learned that Luca Guadagnino's new adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' novel has recruited an actor who could match or top those vibes: Austin Butler.
It hasn't even been two months since we learned about Lionsgate's intent to move forward with a new adaptation of the novel (this isn't a remake of the original movie). Sure, Guadagnino as the director was a pretty good start, and scribe Scott Z. Burns wasn't a small name either. But this is one of those projects that lives or dies depending on the actor carrying the movie on its back. Luckily, Lionsgate and Guadagnino have secured one of the best young players working today.
Variety, which appears to be keeping close tabs on this project, revealed the casting news. The site acknowledges rumors that Jacob Elordi could've circled the part, but doesn't straight-up confirm if he actually tested for it. In any case, both rising stars have something in common: having played Elvis recently, for Baz Luhrmann and Sofia Coppola respectively.
Butler has quickly become one of the hottest names in Hollywood, working with Luhrmann, Jeff Nichols, Denis Villeneuve, and Cary Joji Fukunaga across film and TV. Up next? He's been part of Ari Aster's next movie, Eddington, and could be attached to Michael Mann's Heat 2, among many other projects. At age 33, that's quite the curriculum. Anyone who saw Dune: Part Two earlier this year knows he was a great as our favourite bald psycho Feyd-Rautha, so he's definitely ready to hit the ground running as Patrick Bateman, methinks.
As for Guadagnino, he continues to be one of the most prolific and successful filmmakers working today. This year alone, he released Challengers and Queer, has shot After the Hunt, and has begun to circle a handful of projects, including Sgt. Rock for DC Studios, which may very well become his next production and mark a reunion with Daniel Craig after Queer. We're still waiting for confirmation on that front though, so stay tuned.