Actor Austin Butler is set to play one of the most iconic roles in cinema history
One of the most recognizable parts in movie history is about to be played by actor Austin Butler.
According to People magazine, the actor, who is best known for playing Elvis Presley in “Elvis” and will play the character in “Dune: Part Two,” has been chosen to play Patrick Bateman, the endearing but lethal Wall Street professional who turns into a serial killer in the new adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ contentious 1991 book American Psycho.
‘Mary Harron’ directed the 2000 movie in which Christian Bale played the character, and this is a new take on it.
Luca Guadagnino is directing the next adaptation, which is a fresh take on Ellis’ book rather than a replica of the 2000 film.
According to People magazine, the film, which will be distributed by Lionsgate, will delve into the character’s psychological depth. Bateman plays an affluent, well-dressed investment banker in New York City whose meticulously constructed façade conceals a violent, sinister secret.
Bale’s performance of Bateman in the original American Psycho became iconic, since the actor portrayed the character as both a crazed killer and a stylish, materialistic businessman.
The 1987 film explores Bateman’s mentality as he manages his high-society lifestyle while covertly engaging in horrifying acts of violence.
Bale once shared a humorous story from his own life when thinking back on his part in the movie.
Bale discussed his wife’s grandmother’s reaction to his performance in an interview with People magazine.
“Her grandmother asked, ‘So he’s an actor?’ when I first got married. “Yes,” she replies. Has he taken any action?Yes, he starred in the movie American Psycho. “Sibi’s mom hadn’t realized quite how many inappropriate moments there might be,” Bale said, recalling. “After that, [Sibi’s mother] saw that almost the whole movie was improper. They completed it in fifteen minutes.
In 2020, director Mary Harron, Ellis, and Bale took part in an oral history for the 20th anniversary of American Psycho, during which Harron disclosed that Bale’s casting almost fell through.
She recalls thinking Leonardo DiCaprio would be a good match for the part but finally settling on Bale.
“Obviously, I think [Leonardo] DiCaprio’s a great actor, but I thought he was wrong for it,” Harron stated. “I thought Christian was better for it, and I also thought, and I think my instinct was right on this, [DiCaprio] carried enormous baggage because he had just come off Titanic and I thought you cannot take someone who has a worldwide fanbase of 15-year-old girls, 14-year-old girls and cast him as Patrick Bateman.”
Butler will now follow Bale’s example and provide a fresh take on Bateman on film. Although the details of his performance are yet unknown, viewers may anticipate a new take on the role that encapsulates the psychological tension and dark sarcasm of Ellis’ book.
