Christian Bale's Horror Classic Remake Won't Be Gender-Swapped, Despite Recent Rumors

The rumors of Luca Guadagnino's remake of a horror classic gender-swapping its lead actor appear to have been premature. The filmmaker is teaming with Lionsgate for a remake of 2000's American Psycho, which originally starred Christian Bale as an investment banker who leads a double life. After recent rumors suggested Margot Robbie would be American Psycho's gender-swapped main headliner, a new report reveals that isn't the case.

Per Deadline, Margot Robbie playing a gender-swapped version of Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman is "a non-starter," according to the outlet. An unnamed insider reportedly told The Sun, "A remake of American Psycho is in the works and Margot is in the frame to play a female version of Patrick Bateman." The source added, "Bret [Easton Ellis'] 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."

A reason for changing the role from male to female was also reportedly given, calling back to controversies surrounding the original 1991 novel by Ellis. It also notes that Margot Robbie's popularity possibly contributed to the decision, which has now been debunked. "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... Margot's career is on fire at the moment. Taking on a role this gritty will really show what a sensational actress she is."

Luca Guadagnino Is Remaking American Psycho

Challengers director Luca Guadagnino is helming Lionsgate's remake of American Psycho. The original film, directed by Mary Harron, is based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis. American Psycho followed Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a successful investment banker who puts up a fake facade while in public, hobnobbing with social elites. Meanwhile, Bateman uses this public image to hide his darker tendencies, which include murder.

American Psycho featured an all-star cast, with Christian Bale joined by Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, Chloë Sevigny, Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Bill Sage, Samantha Mathis and more. Austin Butler is rumored for the American Psycho remake.

There has yet to be any official casting for Luca Guadagnino's American Psycho, though Chloë Sevigny has said that she wants to reprise her role of Bateman's secretary, Jean, and even pitched Guadagnino while working on his After the Hunt.

“When I heard that [Guadagnino] was maybe doing it … I pitched to him that I should play Jean again, and that they do that reverse-aging on me,” Sevigny told IndieWire. “I thought that would be something that he would be into, conceptually having the same actress play the same part.”

She added, “But I don’t know. He said he was going to think of something else for me.”

The remake of American Psycho does not have a release date.