Cinephiles rejoiced at the announcement that Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino will be crafting the next adaptation of the cult classic thriller, American Psycho.
While some fans of the original film starring Christian Bale believe this movie shouldn’t be touched, others think it’s about time we get a more accurate depiction of the source material, aka Bret Easton Ellis’s highly controversial 1991 novel.
Fans who have read the book version of American Psycho know well that the 2000 movie adaptation starring Christian Bale is practically a Disney Channel Original Movie compared to the overwhelming gore, grit, and cynicism of Ellis’s novel. The differences between the bleak book and the more polished film are vast, so it’s safe to say we won’t be getting a remake of the original movie. Instead, audiences will, at their own risk, have to squirm through a grueling film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 book. (For those who aren’t in the know, this little novel is so controversial that it has to be sold shrink-wrapped in Australia.)
While whispers online and statements from director Guadagnino himself point to Austin Butler for the role of Patrick Bateman, the author of American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis, thinks this is all just talk. “I have a feeling it’s fake news. I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts,” the satirical author revealed on his podcast. “Austin Butler hasn’t signed anything to play Patrick Bateman. Luca doesn’t have a deal. Scott Burns, who is supposed to write the screenplay, doesn’t have a deal either … From various sources that I have, this is just fake news that was put out there to see how an audience is going to react.”
If it’s not confirmed that Austin Butler will play the Wall Street sadist, there is one specific actor we think would absolutely kill it (see what we did there?) as Patrick Bateman.
So without further ado, here is why Patrick Schwarzenegger would be the perfect fit as the next American Psycho. But first, we gotta return some video tapes…
Why Patrick Schwarzenegger Would Make The Perfect Patrick Bateman
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I mean, come on. We’re all thinking it. It pretty much goes without saying that the White Lotus alum, Patrick Schwarzenegger, would nail the role of the blood-thirsty finance bro.
When it was first announced that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son would be checking into the White Lotus S3, audiences were quick to roll their eyes. Our initial instinct was to chuck “Nepo Baby” accusations at him, assuming he only snagged the role due to his ultra-famous parents. Yet as the series progressed, the 31-year-old actor proved to be the unsuspecting heart of Mike White’s show. (Who doesn’t love a f**k boy with a secret heart of gold?)
Schwarzenegger dazzled audiences with his nuanced portrayal of the wealthy Duke alum, Saxon Ratliff. The character wants so badly to fit in, yet struggles to do so in an authentic manner. Instead, he relies on Red Pill logic, that ends up backfiring directly in his face. (We’re looking at you, Lochlan.)
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Eventually, in a classic case of situational irony, Saxon falls victim to the toxic environment that he himself perpetrates. Sound familiar? Oh, that’s right! The same thing can be said about Patrick Bateman, who numbs himself to the misery of the problematic/consumerist/surface-level environment that he himself creates.
In essence, Schwarzenegger was practically born for this role. The dude can act. He’s got the looks. He has already thrived in his White Lotus role as the secretly complex yuppy who thinks his status is more important than the contents of his soul. Plus, the actor himself has expressed a deep desire to play the part, which has to count for a lot. (This man understands the assignment.)
Case in Point: His Instagram photo, where you can see in the bottom right corner, “American Psycho” is written on the dry-erase board.
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Patrick Schwarzenegger Based Saxon Ratliff Off Of Patrick Bateman
To add to the reasons why Schwarzenegger is destined to play Bateman, the actor said when speaking to Men’s Health that he based elements of Saxon off of Christian Bale’s American Psycho role. “There were elements of Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, who’s this really well-dressed, put-together guy—but there’s also something subtly off about him,” he told the magazine. “I wanted people to have suspicions about Saxon, that something about him wasn’t clicking correctly.”
The White Lotus Star Says He Would Love To Play Patrick Bateman
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Most recently, the “Midnight Sun” actor responded to a fan who said he’d be perfect for the role of the Wall Street bro. In response, Schwarzenegger said, “I’d love nothing more.”
What do you think? Is Patrick Schwarzenegger born to play Patrick Bateman, or is there another actor you’d love to see snag the role?
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