American Psycho at 25: The Background of the Satirical Horror Classic

      Hasitha Fernando explores the narrative surrounding the contentious American Psycho on its 25th anniversary of release...

      American Psycho was many things. On one hand, it was embroiled in conflict from the outset due to the troubling aspects of its source material, while on the other hand, the film represented a significant and transformative moment in Christian Bale’s career. As this dark horror comedy commemorates its 25-year milestone, we reflect on the behind-the-scenes story and the events that transpired during its production…

      The source material sparked considerable controversy upon its release.

      American Psycho is a satirical dark comedy written by American author Bret Easton Ellis. The story revolves around upscale socialite and investment banker Patrick Bateman, who leads a double life as a murderous psychopath. Ellis admitted that the basic idea for American Psycho was inspired by the consumer-driven yuppie culture prevalent at that time, saying, “I was slipping into a consumerist kind of void that was supposed to give me confidence and make me feel good about myself but just made me feel worse and worse and worse about myself. That is where the tension of American Psycho came from.”

      The book faced significant backlash upon its release, with the author receiving hate mail and death threats for his polarizing work. Many feminist activists and organizations criticized Ellis’s effort due to its graphic depiction of violence against women. Despite the controversy surrounding the property, producer Edward R. Pressman was keen to adapt the novel into a feature film after Johnny Depp expressed interest in it.

      Bret Easton Ellis grew weary of adapting his own book for the screen.

      American Psycho wasn't the first of Bret Easton Ellis's works to be adapted into a film. His debut novel, Less Than Zero, was also translated to the big screen in 1987, but Ellis was far from satisfied with that adaptation. Consequently, he preferred to adapt American Psycho himself if given the chance. His wish was granted when he was brought on to write the screenplay while David Cronenberg and Brad Pitt were once set to direct and star. However, due to the slow progress, Re-Animator director Stuart Gordon and Depp moved on to other projects.

      Despite being the author of American Psycho, Ellis faced difficulties with script development since Cronenberg wanted to cut substantial portions of the novel crucial to the narrative and insisted that the script be limited to about 70 pages. The numerous changes led to the screenplay straying significantly from the original material, and after three and a half years of frustration, Ellis became completely disenchanted with the project. As a result, he wrote an elaborate musical sequence to Barry Manilow’s “Daybreak” as the film’s grand finale in his final draft.

      Finding that Ellis couldn’t provide what he envisioned, Cronenberg enlisted Dead Ringers writer Norman Snider to attempt the script development. However, Snider also fell short, leading to both Cronenberg and Pitt leaving the stagnant project. Ellis then produced another draft for producer Rob Weiss, who co-produced American Psycho, but that version also failed to materialize. In frustration, Pressman even tried to sell the property at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival but was unsuccessful in finding a buyer.

      Mary Harron was attracted to the project due to its "risky" nature.

      After her film I Shot Andy Warhol garnered praise at the 49th Cannes Film Festival, Mary Harron sought a project that would inspire her creatively. This came in the form of a call from Roberta Hanley, who managed the production company holding the film rights to American Psycho, with an enticing offer to direct. Initially hesitant due to the novel’s dark and violent content, Harron eventually recognized that the time was right for a satirical adaptation that emphasized social commentary. With no interest in the other offers she received, she chose to pursue American Psycho for its inherently “risky” qualities. Furthermore, Harron expressed a desire to take on the screenplay as the prior drafts didn't resonate with her creatively. The producers accepted, and Harron became both the writer and director of the film.

      The chaos surrounding Christian Bale's casting was intense.

      Today, hardly anyone is unaware of who Christian Bale is. The immensely talented actor is not only celebrated for his iconic portrayal of Batman/Bruce Wayne but also for winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his electrifying role in 2010’s The Fighter. However, 25 years ago, Bale was relatively unknown, his most notable credit being Steven Spielberg’s war epic Empire of the Sun, which he filmed at the age of 13. Lionsgate was adamant that the rising star was not the right fit for the lead, leading to a bitter fallout between the studio and Harron, which caused her to leave the project.

      During this uncertain period, Leonardo DiCaprio was cast as the lead (with a substantial $20 million salary that Lionsgate was eager to pay) and Oliver Stone was brought on to direct. However, their collaboration was fraught with creative disagreements