May 5
Patrick Schwarzenegger Is On Board with Starring in 'American Psycho' Remake – And So is Twitter
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
"White Lotus" star and Arnold Schwarzenegger fils Patrick Schwarzenegger says he'd be down with taking the lead role in Luca Guadagnino's planned remake of "American Psycho."
The Hollywood Reporter detailed that Schwarzenegger jumped on the idea when it was proposed by a fan in a tweet.
"patrick schwarzenegger, i've found your breakout role," the tweet declared, sharing an April 30 article from Film Update about the Guadagnino film's casting process.
Replied the 31-year-old actor: "I'd love nothing more ;)".
Brett Easton Ellis' 1991 novel is narrated by a well-bred investment banker named Patrick Bateman, who details a series of gruesome murders and dismemberments, descending at one point into cannibalism. When not killing or playing cruel pranks, Bateman obsesses over luxury items and fashionable clothing. The book prompted outrage at the time of its publication, despite its obviously satirical nature.
Christian Bale brought both relish and bloodshed to the role in the original 2000 cinematic adaptation by Mary Harron. Schwarzenegger, who courted controversy with his role as the sex-obsessed finance bro Saxon Ratliffe in the recently concluded third season of "The White Lotus," said in a March interview that playing the role of Bateman in a new movie "would be a dream come true."
"The comment I get most about 'The White Lotus' is that Saxon gives off Patrick Bateman vibes," Schwarzenegger told C Magazine.
Moreover, THR recalled, "When development on Guadagnino's project was first reported last fall, Schwarzenegger responded to a post about the news with, 'My dream.'"
Schwarzenegger had appeared in film and television projects before the latest season of Mike White's HBO hit, but his portrayal of Saxon – and a storyline involving fraternal incest between his character and that of Sam Nivola, who played Saxon's younger brother, Lochlan – propelled him overnight to stratospheric fame.
No official casting news has been released as of yet, but Schwarzenegger is not the only name being bruited about. "Rumors circulated late last year about Austin Butler being eyed to play Patrick Bateman," THR recounted.
Another young actor who made waves in a high-profile role recently has also expressed interest: Cooper Koch, who starred in Ryan Murphy's "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" on Netflix, declared that he would be up for the role.
"Luca's doing 'American Psycho,' so I think I can do Patrick Bateman," Cooper mused to THR last fall.
Gay Twitter seemed almost as keen on the idea of Patrick Schwarzenegger taking the role as Schwarzenegger himself.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
