It is not as if American Psycho is hallowed ground, like Casablanca or Gone With The Wind. It is just that a remake is so very unnecessary. Although the original came out over a decade ago, it was set in the 1980’s and so it can’t really be argued to be dated. It looks as though the planned remake will be set in a more contemporary New York, possibly addressing how the city has changed since the milieu of the book and original film. That is all well and good, though it could be argued that the milieu of the original was part of its distinctive quality and that to take the story out of that environment does more than a little violence to Bret Easton Ellis’s work.
Matters are not helped by news that the writer Lionsgate have employed to rework the script, Noble Jones, has written one short film five years ago and since then has worked as a cinematographer and second unit director. That is not to cast aspersions at his ability as a writer, he may well be extremely talented, but it doesn’t look good when a seeming novice is attached to such a high profile project. Jones has apparently finished the script and wants to shoot it as well, as a “down and dirty low budget” film. Hmm. We will see.
Source: Variety and Deadline.
