Austin Butler cast as Patrick Bateman in Luca Guadagnino’s American Psycho remake

Austin Butler has been slated to star in Luca Guadagnino’s new interpretation of the novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis for Lionsgate, according to a Variety report.

Despite rumours that Jacob Elordi was being eyed for the starring role, Butler came through in the end.

The film, which features a script from Scott Z. Burns, will reportedly not be a remake of the 2000 film, but a new adaptation of Ellis’ book.

In the original movie, which was released in 2000 and is set in the 1980s, Christian Bale stars as Patrick Bateman, a Wall Street yuppie and serial killer. Through the lens of Guadagnino, best known for Call Me By Your Name and Challengers, the new take on the book could have a larger erotic emphasis than the original horror satire. While Butler is attached to play the lead role, Guadagnino might have interpreted the character of Patick Bateman in a much different way than its previous incarnation.

Guadagnino recently wrapped shooting After the Hunt, which stars Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield. He’s received a number of Golden Globes nominations for his films Queer and Challengers. Daniel Craig (Queer) was nominated for best actor, while Zendaya (Challengers) received a nod for best actress. Challengers was also nominated for motion picture (musical or comedy) and music.