After much hullabaloo over Margot Robbie’s potential casting as the lead in a gender-swapped remake of American Psycho, some crucial information is now coming to light via Deadline.
Luca Guadagnino is still going to direct the upcoming movie. It will not be a remake of the iconic Christian Bale film, but an entirely fresh adaptation of the novel. And most interestingly, American Psycho will not be helmed by a female actor.
In keeping with the new information, here is a list of 5 actors who could serve as a perfect embodiment of Patrick Bateman on the big screen.
1. Austin Butler
For those new to the announcement, Austin Butler was already attached to play the lead actor of Luca Guadagnino’s American Psycho, as reported by Variety in December 2024. Though the casting hadn’t been formalized on paper, an insider source revealed that an offer was imminent.
Given the declaration of faith on Guadagnino’s part for the Elvis star, Butler is still the first in line for the role of Patrick Bateman. The director only needs to finish what he started nearly a year ago and lock it down formally. After all, Butler’s acting credits are proof enough of his qualifications and capabilities.
On the flip side, the open-ended deal between Butler and Guadagnino leaves a door open for other contenders to try out for the lead, giving room to new voices and other faces to take another shot at the role.
2. Jacob Elordi
On paper, Jacob Elordi might not look like a strong candidate for the role, given his early rom-com status, but he has the credits to prove himself more than worthy of the lead. Let’s count them down one by one. A rich golden boy in a privileged society – Saltburn – check. Troubled psyche with violent, dark intentions – Euphoria – check. Can command a room of execs and victims alike – absolute check.
To expand on that, Euphoria helped Elordi nail down his outwardly charming, psychologically sociopathic, manipulative, violent, abusive, and transphobic character profile as Nate Jacobs. Going by his additional merits now as Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights, both representing darkly Gothic figures, it seems like Elordi already has Patrick Bateman in the bag.
Interestingly, it was rumored that Elordi was in the running against Austin Butler for the lead a year ago when Guadagnino began casting for the film.
3. Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal may be the oldest candidate on the list, but he is an unimpeachable choice for American Psycho. As proof, we have on one side the vain and superficially obsessed Morf Vandewalt from Velvet Buzzsaw, on the other side is the unhinged, violent, and morbid stringer Lou Bloom from Nightcrawler, and sandwiched in between the two is Brokeback Mountain, which is an essential undertaking for Luca Guadagnino’s homoerotic films.
For decades, the actor has proven his versatile range on the screen. From destructive to unhinged to duplicitous and everything in between, Gyllenhaal’s filmography is a testament to the actor’s ability to tackle American Psycho from a mature standpoint. Although Guadagnino prefers working with younger actors in his films, this could be the role that demands otherwise.
4. Robert Pattinson
At this point, Robert Pattinson has been surprising audiences and befuddling critics so much with every other project that he takes on that it’s simply unfair of the Academy to hold out on him any longer.
The roiling, mad paranoia of The Lighthouse, the black comedy satire of Mickey 17, the personification of evil in The Devil All the Time, and the brutality of The Batman, all of these roles have a little bit of Patrick Bateman in them. Combined with his charming persona and magnetic quality that needs no further elaboration, Pattinson can flourish under Guadagnino’s direction as the new American Psycho that we all can agree on unilaterally.
5. Harris Dickinson
Although last on the list, Harris Dickinson might just be the strongest contender after Austin Butler for the role of Patrick Bateman. The actor has not yet had the time to shine in his burgeoning career, but his recent turns in Babygirl and The Iron Claw are putting him on the map.
This fresh-faced and enigmatic quality to Dickinson and the untapped potential he holds right now make him perfect for Luca Guadagnino’s tastes, considering his casting patterns in previous films. Although he might not have the credits like Jacob Elordi or the public’s favor like Robert Pattinson, the 29-year-old English actor does have one quality working in his favor: mystique.
Who among the above five would you like to see take on the lead role as Patrick Bateman in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film? Let us know in the comments below, or drop your own individual picks beyond these five.
