10 American Psycho Facts That a Regular Person Might Not Be Aware Of

10 American Psycho Facts That a Regular Person Might Not Be Aware Of

      In celebration of the new FX series The Shards, inspired by the novel from Bret Easton Ellis, the author of American Psycho, here are 10 facts regarding Mary Harron’s film adaptation of American Psycho.

      Initially released in 2000, the film didn’t achieve significant success right away. However, it has developed a large following, generated business card-related memes, and led to an upcoming remake by Luca Guadagnino.

      If you’re a fan of the original American Psycho movie, here are 10 facts that you will likely find interesting.

      Christian Bale Was Unsure If American Psycho Was Meant to Be Humorous

      Christian Bale portrayed Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Lionsgate – Credit: Lionsgate

      When director and co-writer Mary Harron first shared the script for American Psycho with Christian Bale, he wasn't very familiar with it—only that it was adapted from a Bret Easton Ellis novel that sparked controversy.

      “I didn’t know what to expect. I had not read the book at that point. I was aware of the uproar, with calls for it to be banned, and I did not anticipate what I found,” Bale recounted to MovieMaker for a 2020 oral history of the film. “As I read it, I was bursting with laughter. I wasn't sure if that was Mary’s intention.”

      Bale approached the conversation cautiously: “I spoke with her on the phone and said, ‘I need to get this out because it might end our conversation or offend you. But I think this is one of the most absurd and hilarious scripts.’ And she exclaimed, ‘Bingo. That’s it. Please come to meet me.’”

      Christian Bale Disturbed Bret Easton Ellis

      Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is featured in a poster for Les Miserables. Lionsgate – Credit: Lionsgate

      Bret Easton Ellis met with American Psycho director Mary Harron and Christian Bale while Bale was being considered for the role of Wall Street serial killer Patrick Bateman, and he noted that Bale arrived embodying his literary character completely.

      Ellis shared: “He was in full Patrick Bateman mode with his hair, suit, and manner of speaking. It was incredibly distracting and amusing at first, but then it became less funny as he continued…

      “I told him eventually that he could stop this act. It was unsettling for me. But I said it jokingly. It was unnerving in a way. I thought he didn’t need to maintain it, though he’s just that type of actor.”

      Other Actors Considered Bale ‘The Worst Actor They’d Ever Seen’

      Josh Lucas in American Psycho. Lionsgate – Credit: Lionsgate

      In 2020, Christian Bale shared that when he worked with American Psycho alum Josh Lucas on 2019’s Ford v. Ferrari, Lucas told him that “all the other actors believed I was the worst actor they’d ever seen.”

      An amused Bale added: “He mentioned that they kept watching me and discussing, ‘Why did Mary fight for this guy? He’s awful.’

      “It wasn’t until he saw the film that he changed his opinion. I was completely unaware of that feedback.”

      Mary Harron Resigned Due to Leonardo DiCaprio

      Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street – Credit: Paramount

      You may already know that Leonardo DiCaprio, fresh off Titanic, almost secured the role over Christian Bale. However, what you might not know is that director Mary Harron walked away from the film rather than collaborate with DiCaprio because she firmly believed Bale was the right choice for Patrick Bateman’s character.

      “Of course, I think DiCaprio is a fantastic actor, but I felt he was wrong for this part,” Harron explained to MovieMaker. “I believed Christian was a better fit, and I also sensed that he came with a lot of baggage from Titanic, which meant casting him as Patrick Bateman would be problematic.

      “It would be unbearable, and there would be too many outside influences, causing significant interference… It would harm the film and him. Everyone would try to change everything. I understood that I needed full control over it to make it work, including the tone.”

      Ultimately, Bale and Harron were able to create the film they envisioned. As Bret Easton Ellis remarked to MovieMaker, DiCaprio later took on another Wall Street antihero in The Wolf of Wall Street: “Leo eventually got to portray a variation of this as Jordan Belfort, and he was brilliant.”

      At One Time, Oliver Stone Was Set to Direct

      Oliver Stone on the set of his 1986 film Platoon. – Credit: MGM

      Stone was briefly attached to the project when Harron exited over DiCaprio’s casting. Bret Easton Ellis told MovieMaker:

      “I would have regretted it if Oliver Stone made it with him. I don’t believe Oliver Stone would have been the right director

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10 American Psycho Facts That a Regular Person Might Not Be Aware Of

American Psycho marked a turning point for Christian Bale and stands as one of the defining classics of the 2000s. Here are some lesser-known facts about the film.