Wall Street's Surprising Love for 'American Psycho' Baffles Director Mary Harron

Director Mary Harron is bewildered by the admiration Wall Street workers have for the satirical character Patrick Bateman from 'American Psycho,' played by Christian Bale. The portrayal meant to mock financial elites has instead become an icon, popularized by memes and social media.

Director Mary Harron has expressed her confusion over the surprising admiration that workers on Wall Street have for the character Patrick Bateman, portrayed by Christian Bale in the film 'American Psycho.' Speaking to Letterboxd Journal, Harron noted her astonishment at the film's embrace by financial professionals, as reported by Variety.

The film, intended as a satirical critique of the finance sector, was never meant to be idolized by those it mocked. Harron, alongside co-writer Guinevere Turner, did not anticipate such a reaction, feeling that Christian Bale's performance clearly parodied the excesses of finance culture, Harron told Letterboxd Journal, according to Variety.

The director attributes the character's rise in popularity to TikTok and memes, which highlight Bateman's juxtaposition as a suave yet ridiculous figure. Harron described scenes such as Bateman awkwardly attempting to be cool in a nightclub as emblematic of this duality. Harron also referred to 'American Psycho' as a satirical take on masculinity by a gay male author, suggesting Wall Street fans may overlook this aspect.

Harron mentioned that a new film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's 'American Psycho' novel is in development, directed by Luca Guadagnino. With a screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, actor Austin Butler is a possible choice to play Bateman, though nothing is confirmed yet, according to ANI.

(With inputs from agencies.)