Sharpen your ax, order new business cards, and crank up some Huey Lewis and the News because the LA-based comic book publisher Sumerian is bringing an American Psycho comic book to shelves. According to Deadline, the four-issue series, publishing later this year, “will have a dual narrative, one showing a different perspective of Bateman’s killing spree (with a notable “twist”) and another revealing a modern-day arc with “surprising connections to the past.” The new arc is a sequel to the 2000 thriller from director Mary Harron.
Sumerian’s American Psycho comic book centers on “an all-new psychopath as social media obsessed millennial, Charlie (Charlene) Carruthers, goes on a downward spiral filled with violence. Drug fueled partying leads to bloodshed as Charlie leaves a trail of bodies on her way to discovering the truth about her dark nature.”
Sumerian acquired derivative rights to American Psycho through producer Pressman Films. The deal allows the publisher to use Bale’s likeness in the new story. Michael Calero (Quested) wrote the American Psycho comic book, with art by Piotr Kowalski (The Witcher) and colors by Brad Simpson (Kong of Skull Island). The first issue, titled American Psycho #1, hits digital retailers, and LCS stands on October 11, 2023.
Mary Harron directed and co-wrote American Psycho with Bret Easton Ellis and Guinevere Turner. The disturbing thriller focuses on a wealthy New York City banking executive, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), who hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies. Bale delivers one of his most iconic performances in the twisted tale of murder and seething hatred. Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Bill Sage, Chloë Sevigny, Rese Witherspoon, Samantha Mathis, Matt Ross, Willem Dafoe, and Jared Leto also star.
Hailed as a classic among a sub-section of film fans, American Psycho taps into the psyche’s darkest corners. The story invites audiences into the insidious mind of a killer unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Harron’s film is a roller coaster until the end, with plenty of blood, carnal desire, and falling chainsaws to bring thrills and chills to the ride.
You can see covers for American Psycho #1 below: