Lionsgate is reportedly planning a new, modern version of Mary Harron’s cult classic American Psycho. More on the project below.
Industry insider Jeff Sneider (via World Of Reel) reports that Lionsgate, the studio behind many horror franchises, is looking to do a remake of its 2000 hit American Psycho.
The original film starred Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a successful investment banker and secret serial killer. The film, directed by Mary Harron, was based on a book by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991.
Harron’s film tackles heavy themes such as consumer culture and misogyny through Bateman’s character. In one of the most iconic scenes in the film, Bateman and his colleagues get into what is essentially a pissing contest over who has the best reservations in town and who has the most expensive-looking business cards.
Lionsgate is reportedly looking to do a more modern take on the story and are currently hunting for a writer for the project. No director or actors have been attached yet. It seems that the project is still very much in early stages of development.
Read more: Relapse | American Psycho author making his directorial debut with a monster movie
It’ll be difficult to find someone for the role of Bateman. What made Bale so successful in the earlier American Psycho is that he was able to balance superficial charm with his psychotic tendencies. You simply loved to hate him as he hacked his way through several men and women.
American Psycho also starred Jared Leto, Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon and Chloë Sevigny in early roles. The film also spawned a critically panned remake, imaginatively titled American Psycho 2. It starred Mila Kunis, but had no connection to Harron’s film. Kunis has since spoken out against the film, stating that she signed on to a different project that was then made into an American Psycho sequel.
We’ll keep you updated on more news on the American Psycho remake.
