Lionsgate is moving forward on a new adaption of Bret Easton Ellis’ dark social satire American Psycho. The studio has hired Noble Jones to write a screenplay for a new big screen version of the novel. Given that Nobel’s credits include some music video and commercial directing, as well as being the second unit director on The Social Network, it is a good bet that this may also be his feature film directorial debut.
The book was famously adapted in 2000 by writer/director Mary Harron and which starred Christian Bale as the deranged yuppie serial killer Patrick Bates. Its premier at the Sundance Film Festival caused a stir and split audiences into ardent “love it” and “hate it” factions.
Variety broke the story, indicating that Jones had already turned in his first draft of the script. Deadline adds that the screenplay is “a down and dirty new version that imagines how yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman would fare in New York today.”
Normally, I would say that there hasn’t been enough time passed before we should be contemplating a new adaption of American Psycho. Especially given the classic stature of the original film, which Ellis himself has given a seal of approval to. But given the changes that New York City and society in general has gone through in the 12 years since 2000, I think that there’s plenty for the screenplay to explore. Keeping the character of Patrick as some sort of Wall Street investment banker will certainly resonate more than it even did 11 years ago. While I have doubts that it can or will live up to the shocking power that Harron’s film had, there is certainly potential for it to carve out it’s own reputation.
