According to reports, Lionsgate Films wants to reboot one of their cult classic IPs, American Psycho. Fans have been both skeptical and excited ever since this rumor dropped on the internet. Christian Bale’s film set in the ’80s had the perfect central character in Patrick Bateman. Bateman’s newfound fame in the present meme culture may have put the idea in the studio execs’ heads. However, the reboot movie will work only if two arcs are changed in Bret Eaton Ellis’ story.
When Mary Harron took up the challenging task of adapting Ellis’ novel into a movie, the odds were stacked against her, unlike today. Both Harron and Bale were turned away from the film at one point before the studio realized their vision for the film.
American Psycho Reboot Should Change 2 Major Arcs
American Psycho was released almost two decades ago, exploring the topics of yuppie culture and consumerism in a black comedy setting. The controversial nature of Bret Eaton Ellis’ novel made the task of a film adaptation more challenging. However, when the film finally hit theaters, audiences responded positively to Christian Bale‘s portrayal. Following its DVD release in 2005, the film quickly gained popularity and achieved cult status.
According to The InSneider‘s Jeff Sneider, Lionsgate Films is planning to make some money out of the IP. Sneider shares a modern-day take on American Psycho is in development at the studio. He also revealed that the studio is looking for a writer for the same.
While many fielded objections to the idea of remaking a classic, others were more curious to see what a modern-day approach would look like. Jeff Sneider later appeared on The Hot Mic podcast with John Rocha, where he discussed in detail about the reboot project. For the new project to work, the duo suggested changing two major arcs in the story.
Sneider’s idea of a reboot would move away from the ’80s setting of the story. To explore the modern-day version, the script should explore other similar themes like consumerism that persists today in society. Sneider takes this idea a bit further and suggests the possibility of an American Psycho series, exploring different themes in each episode with separate serial killers.
The second major arc that Sneider introduces is moving away from a White Christian Bale-like character. He wanted the new film or series to make non-White actors the central serial killer figure. John Rocha suggested a gender-swapping of the character which adds several feminist themes to the film, a striking contrast to Bale’s character. However, the studio may not be fans of the idea, especially after the forgotten sequel, American Psycho II: All American Girl.
How Can American Psycho Be Relevant In Today’s World?
American Psycho reboot’s best bet at a satirical psychological thriller would be to explore a psychopath in the digital age. Hollywood has often lacked depth when handling the topics of isolation and alienation in the social media world. Imagine putting Patrick Bateman into a setting where only a select few could win the battle of attention.
Among his suggestions for a new actor replacing Christian Bale, Jeff Sneider shared a few names who could play this version of Bateman fittingly. Sneider’s suggestions included Barbie‘s Michael Cera, Get Out‘s Daniel Kaluuya, and Riverdale‘s Charles Melton. One other British actor could also nail the part if given the opportunity — Daniel Radcliffe.
Fans will have to wait for an official confirmation about the reboot project from the studio. Meanwhile, American Psycho is now available for streaming on Peacock Premium.
