Audiences may associate American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman with Christian Bale, but a new star has weighed in on rumors he will be leading the forthcoming remake from Lionsgate. Based on the satirical horror novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, it would be Bale’s tenure as the movie adaptation’s investment banker and serial killer Patrick Bateman that would firmly establish him as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men. In October 2024, Lionsgate officially revealed that they would be pushing forward with a new American Psycho remake helmed by Academy Award nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.

While serving on Guadagnino’s festival jury at the Marrakech Film Festival, Variety recently quizzed Saltburn star Jacob Elordi about rumors that he was in the running to play the director’s new Patrick Bateman. Playing it coy, the Australian actor merely stated that it was “news to me,” before smiling and directing a nod toward Guadagnino. He did, however, go on to speak more generally about wanting to work with a wide assortment of international filmmakers. Check out his comments below:

I would work with a filmmaker from every country in the world. Cinema is this grand universal language, and I’ve barely even learned how to say hello. My dream is to work with all kinds of filmmakers and human beings and kinds of films.

What Jacob Elordi’s Comments Mean For The American Psycho Remake

The Saltburn Star Has Done Little To Quash Rumors Of His Potential Casting

Despite assertions that Guadagnino’s movie will be a fresh interpretation of the original American Psycho book, as opposed to a direct remake of the 2000 movie, comparisons to Bale’s time in the role are inevitable. Lauded as one of Bale’s most impressive performances, and widely credited with catapulting him into a whole new level of superstardom, whoever is selected as the new Patrick Bateman will have an incredibly daunting task ahead of them.

Having already proven his own versatility as a performer, having played everyone from an affluent student to Elvis Presley himself, Elordi could easily slip into the role of a yuppie serial killer.

While Elordi has not confirmed whether he truly is in the running to succeed in Bale’s footsteps, his carefully worded response will likely do little to quash rumors of his potential involvement. Having already proven his own versatility as a performer, having played everyone from an affluent student to Elvis Presley himself, Elordi could easily slip into the role of a yuppie serial killer. The question, however, is whether he will be capable of delivering a performance that stands on par with Bale’s.

Our Take On Recasting American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman

Replacing Christian Bale Will Be A Daunting Task For Any Actor

Attempts at remaking popular movies can prove difficult at the best of times, even more so when the property being rebooted holds such an important place in popular culture. Not only was Bale’s performance considered the highlight of the original movie adaptation, it has since gone on to become the inspiration behind countless memes, song references, and pop culture callbacks.

Regardless of how Guadagnino seeks to differentiate his version of American Psycho from Mary Harron’s movie, the biggest problem will be convincing audiences that his leading star is a worthy successor to Bale. While Elordi may currently stand as one of the preferred frontrunners for the role, if he does end up being cast as Patrick Bateman, it will likely present him with the greatest professional challenge of his career.

Source: Variety