Movies
Luca Guadagnino Gives Update on ‘American Psycho’ Remake Casting
Luca Guadagnino (Bones and All, Suspiria) will direct a brand new interpretation of the 1991 book American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis for Lionsgate, and the filmmaker has given an interesting update at CinemaCon today, THR reports.
In December, Variety had reported that Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two) was poised to pick up an axe as Patrick Bateman. Guadagnino’s update reveals that’s not quite the case.
To start, the filmmaker called the source material “a book that I deeply love that is something that has influenced me so much.”
The director confirmed that Scott Z. Burns wrote the script, which is said to be a new adaptation of Ellis’s novel and not a remake of the 2000 film. As for casting, he told the CinemaCon crowd that he’s in current “conversation with exciting performers to play the leads.” As in, no one has been set to star just yet.
That was predicted by author Bret Easton Ellis himself on a recent episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. “I have a feeling it’s fake news,” Easton Ellis mused. “I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts. 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.”
The author continued, “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.”
In the story, “A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale in the 2000 movie), hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.”
The new film will be produced by Frenesy Films, executive produced by Sam Pressman, son of Edward R. Pressman, producer of the first adaptation, through his company Pressman Film.
“We are thrilled to add another elite filmmaker to our upcoming slate,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson. “Luca is a brilliant artist, and the perfect visionary to create a whole new interpretation of this potent and classic IP.”
Jacob Elordi was also previously considered the frontrunner to play Patrick Bateman in the upcoming adaptation. Elordi will next be seen playing the Monster in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
Andrzej Żuławski’s 1981 psychological horror movie Possession is getting a remake from Smile writer/director Parker Finn, and Deadline reports that The Batman actor Paul Dano has joined the cast.
No word at this time on character details, though.
The original film starred Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill as a married couple in Cold War-era West Berlin whose relationship spirals into a supernatural nightmare. In Finn’s update, Margaret Qualley and Callum Turner will star as the turbulent couple in Finn’s Possession, and Adjani has officially given her blessing on Qualley’s casting.
Parker Finn is writing and directing the new take on Possession.
He’s also producing alongside Jonathan Fass via Bad Feeling, along with Roy Lee and Andrew Childs via Vertigo, and Robert Pattinson. Marc Bienstock is serving as exec producer.
Our own Brian Keiper celebrated Possession‘s 40th anniversary here on BD back in 2021, writing: “Few movies depict emotional turmoil as effectively and daringly as Andrzej Zulawksi’s Possession. It is a challenging and sometimes inscrutable film, both for the mind and the emotions. Zulawski struggles through a number of deep issues throughout the course of the film; issues that speak to some of humanity’s deepest pains and fears. In many ways it is about loss— loss of political ideals, loss of faith, and loss of innocence. But most of all, Possession is about the fear, pain, and anger that comes from the loss of a marriage.”
This will mark Dano’s first horror role. The actor previously appeared in sci-fi hits Looper and Okja.
Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill in Possession
You must be logged in to post a comment.