There are rumblings of a remake of Christian Bale‘s American Psycho in the works. The rumor is that Margot Robbie is currently in the running for the lead role in the gender-swapped film, set to be directed by Luca Guadagnino.
25 years ago, it took a miracle and then some to get the original film financed and off the ground. Despite originally having Leonardo DiCaprio on board, director Mary Harron had to fight to get Bale, which fortunately worked out after DiCaprio walked away due to a scheduling conflict. Now, the battle begins to get the gender-swapped remake off the ground.
As reported by a film source via The Sun:
A remake of American Psycho is in the works and Margot [Robbie] is in the frame to play a female version of Patrick Bateman. Brett’s novel and the film were so controversial and the people working on the remake wanted to twist the narrative by having a female actress take on the lead of Bateman.
There was a huge backlash about misogyny when the novel came out back in the Nineties. And by having a female killer, it puts a different spin on the crimes.
As of the time of writing, there has been no confirmation from either the director, the actress, or the trades about the Aussie Barbie’s casting.
Margot Robbie’s American Psycho Role from 2016 Comes Full Circle
In May 2016, Vogue featured Margot Robbie in a short film titled Australian Psycho, where she reenacted the opening scene from Christian Bale’s film. The video was a spoof that depicted her “psychotically perfect” beauty routine.
A decade later, who knew Robbie would be up for the role of starring as the psychotic killer in a female remake of the original? The rumor, if proven true, would certainly be a full-circle moment for the Aussie actress. As reported by the insider via The Sun:
Margot’s career is on fire at the moment. Taking on a role this gritty will really show what a sensational actress she is. The finer details are still being ironed out but everyone that is involved in the process so far have said they are so excited to get it announced and start work.
The controversial Mary Harron film from 25 years ago has not gotten any easier to sit through in the decades since, if only because it has become more real and relevant to the times. If Margot Robbie does end up getting the role, it will be interesting to see how the remake spins Patricia Bateman into the narrative in a believable manner.
Luca Guadagnino’s Female American Psycho is a Very Bad Idea
The whole point of American Psycho is to critique hypermasculinity and toxicity bracketed within a capitalist world. Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman rejoices bathing in the blood of vanity. In a society desensitized to malice, cruelty, and violence, American Psycho caters to a superficial world that glorifies chauvinism, machismo, aggression, and dominance over all else.
How does a female American Psycho fit into that conversation? In Luca Guadagnino’s homoerotically lavish worlds defined by films such as Queer and Challengers, an emotionally repressed, sexually charged Margot Robbie slaying her way through Wall Street just doesn’t have the same ring to it now, does it?
On second thoughts, perhaps she could get away with it. After all, wasn’t Emilia Harcourt diagnosed with a case of toxic masculinity just recently? James Gunn has already sown the seed in pop culture; Luca Guadagnino simply needs to water the plant and watch it grow.
Below is a list of details about the Christian Bale original from 2000:
Do you think a gender-swapped American Psycho is a good idea for a remake? How do you feel about Margot Robbie’s casting in the film? Let us know in the comments below.
American Psycho (2000) is currently streaming on Peacock, Prime Video, and Paramount+.
