American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis went on an unexpected, stream-of-consciousness rant on Twitter last night during which he pondered a possible sequel to his most controversial and famous work. As a fan I'm both intrigued and confused, as Easton Ellis has never mentioned a sequel before and the book certainly doesn't require one. However, Easton Ellis' musings on how Patrick Bateman – famously portrayed by Christian Bale in the 2000 film – would fit in today's culture were pretty entertaining and provided an insightful glimpse into the thought process of one of my favourite authors.
Read Bret Easton Ellis' rant on an American Psycho sequel in its entirety below:
"1:00 AM in L.A. and sitting at my desk finishing a script and suddenly I'm making notes on where Patrick Bateman's now and maybe he could… Flashback: Patrick as a teenager and then moves into college before he gets to New York and how Pierce & Pierce is forced by his dad to… Hmmm… Maybe I'll call my publishers on Monday… But have to figure out what the structure is… Definitely murders at prep school and … Well, if this American Psycho sequel pans out I'd get in touch with my agent first but will have to spend the weekend seeing if it works… Patrick at Harvard listening to The Nylon Curtain… maybe Nebraska… maybe Don Henley… I would love Patrick dissecting Don Henley's "Building the Perfect Beast"… Patrick's first killing would not have been at Harvard. It would have been before… it would have been his father's mistress… Patrick would hate Obama and for example, go into great detail about the Honey Badger fraudulence of #Kony2012 and he'd love Kim Kardashian. How would Patrick Bateman deal with the notion of transparency? Or did he already deal with it in the original? Thoughts as I write notes… Patrick would post pics of murdered girls on Facebook and either no one would notice or post "Fuck yeah" and that's what I'm thinking about. Patrick would talk about Adele and Kanye and KATY PERRY because "Firework" is his favorite song… and then he kills Katy Perry's trainer… Patrick's iPad would start speaking to him… Telling him Adele's cover of The Cure drove him to killing, well, just about everybody… I've three pages on where Patrick Bateman is now and where he came from. The most violent scene is in a sorority where PB rapes/kills 12… Patrick would go on a very long dissertation about Coldplay's oeuvre… His favorite song being "Fix You"… Patrick would complain about spotify and the cloud and tumbler…but he would find victims via Blendr while listening to Beyonce and O.A.R. The other novel I've been thinking about is Sean Bateman as a total fag in West Hollywood where he contracts AIDS in the local Pavillions… Scene where Chris Martin and Patrick Bateman eat waffles and talk about how cool St. Vincent is…and then Patrick slits his throat. Notes. Patrick Bateman's hero was Michael Hutchence… That Pavilions is so gay they have free HIV testing in aisle 5… Patrick Bateman would be obsessed with "Stop and Stare" and anything else by the guy who wrote "Halo"… Patrick Bateman running around Central Park listening to Missing Person's "Destination Unknown"…The notes keep flowing… Patrick's favorite threesome: Rihanna and that girl from Sleigh Bells… Patrick's scary homo encounter: Kris Humphries at STK… The first murder is the #Kony2012 guy who Patrick finds out is Andy Dick's boyfriend… Patrick hanging out with Scott Disick and Rob Kardashian… Patrick wants to bang all the Kardashian sisters… Page four… And then… wait how does Channing Tatum come into play? Patrick's ideal threesome: Chris Brown and Rihanna… Hmm…Page 5… Murdering David Beckham in an elevator in Manchester… Stalking Gavin Rossdale in a Bristol Farms in West Hollywood… Patrick's obsession: Rihanna… Patrick's favorite movie: "The Help"… Patrick was at party weeks ago where Lindsay Lohan swore she was going to sleep with Beckham. Patrick in L.A. with gay brother Sean? Paul? Patrick and Gavin Rossdale had a Luis Carruthers moment in the bathroom at Bristol Farms. Scribbling notes on PB as hedge fund manager in LA… Patrick hanging with Mumford and Son's… what would happen… Yes, Sean Bateman is gay. Didn't anyone figure that out? Patrick watched Friday the 13th when he was sixteen but… page seven on notes for sequel… OK so Sean is gay and living in West Hollywood and Patrick is visiting LA with plans to murder who? Famous actress?Anyone in "Hunger Games"? Yes, Patrick Bateman would use Blendr… 12 pages of notes… Patrick is most obsessed with Rihanna and then various James Deen co-stars… Up to 14 pages of notes… Patrick loves Celebrity Apprentice and Chopped and the Kardashian's. I think… Housewives of Beverly Hills?… NCIS?… What else?… He hates Dexter because they stole his name… Patrick is oddly sympathetic to Kirk Cameron… Patrick's favorite movies are Hostel 2 and Chicago… Making new notes. Going to bed. Can't believe this happened. Am I really going to start doing this? PB says yes… Please keep sending me ideas… You won't get credit…But they help…"
Easton Ellis has not removed the comments in the 24 hours since, and earlier today he followed them up with this remark:
"Keeping what might be the new book under wraps for now after last nights inspiration. But am still interested in suggestions and advice…"
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