It looks like Austin Butler‘s about to trade in his blue suede shoes for a blood-stained Valentino suit. That’s right, folks – the Elvis heartthrob has just snagged the role of Patrick Bateman in Luca Guadagnino‘s fresh take on American Psycho.
According to Variety, the news comes after rumours that another Elvis — Jacob Elordi — was in the running for the role. I feel like this snub might have something to do with that jump scare of a beard Elordi’s been sporting recently.
Butler, who’s been riding high since his Oscar nod for Elvis and his role in Dune 2, is set to step into Christian Bale‘s murderous shoes as the narcissistic investment banker with a penchant for dismemberment.
It’s quite the career pivot – from hip-swivelling to hip-deep in gore. We love a man with range.
But before you start having flashbacks of that God-awful American Psycho musical (sorry Matt Smith and Jonathan Bailey), rest assured this isn’t just a remake of the 2000 cult classic.
Guadagnino, the mastermind behind Call Me by Your Name and Challengers, is crafting a whole new interpretation of Bret Easton Ellis‘ novel. I think with that résumé we can expect a horny take on American Psycho.
“We are thrilled to add another elite filmmaker to our upcoming slate,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson per Variety.
“Luca is a brilliant artist, and the perfect visionary to create a whole new interpretation of this potent and classic IP.”
With Scott Z Burns (of Contagion fame) penning the script, we can only imagine what fresh hell awaits us. Will Patrick Bateman be a TikTok influencer with a side hustle in serial killing? Or maybe a crypto bro who’s more interested in slashing throats than blockchain? The possibilities are endless, and frankly, a bit concerning.
There’s no word yet on when we’ll be seeing Butler take on the new role, but I really hope that he doesn’t go all method for this character.
Lead image: Getty images/ American Psycho
