Editing American Psycho (section)

===2000 film===
{{Main|American Psycho (film)}}

In 2000, writer [[Guinevere Turner]] and writer/director [[Mary Harron]] adapted ''American Psycho'' into a dark, comic [[American Psycho (film)|film]] released by [[Lions Gate Films]] in United States and [[Columbia Pictures]] in other territories. This screenplay was selected over three others, including one by Ellis himself. Bateman is played by [[Christian Bale]] with [[Willem Dafoe]] and [[Reese Witherspoon]] in supporting roles. As a promotion for the film, one could register to receive e-mails "from" Patrick Bateman, supposedly to his therapist.<ref name="Howell">{{cite news | last= Howell | first= Peter | title=''American Psycho''s Web Promo Sickens Star | work=[[Toronto Star]] | date=March 8, 2000 | location=Toronto}}</ref> The e-mails, written by a writer attached to the film and approved by Ellis, follow Bateman's life since the events of the film. ''American Psycho'' premiered at the 2000 [[Sundance Film Festival]] where it was touted as the next ''[[Fight Club (film)|Fight Club]]''.<ref name=guardian3>{{cite news | title=''American Psycho'' hits Sundance | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=January 26, 2000 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/jan/26/sundancefilmfestival2000.festivals | access-date=July 27, 2010 | location=London}}</ref> The [[Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA) gave the film an [[NC-17]] rating for a scene featuring Bateman having a [[threesome]] with two sex workers. The producers excised approximately 18 seconds of footage to obtain an [[MPAA film rating system|R-rating]] for the film.<ref name=guardian4>{{cite news |title=''American Psycho'' cut to appease censors|work=[[The Guardian]] |date=February 29, 2000 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/feb/29/news |access-date=July 27, 2010}}</ref>

It polarized audiences and critics with some showering praise, others scorn.<ref name="corliss2">{{cite magazine | last= Corliss | first= Richard | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995904,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023033855/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995904,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 23, 2007 | title=Sundance Sorority | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=January 24, 2000 | access-date=April 8, 2009}}</ref> Upon its theatrical release, however, the film received positive reviews in crucial publications, including ''[[The New York Times]]'' which called it a "mean and lean horror comedy classic".<ref name="holden">{{cite news | last= Holden | first= Stephen | author-link=Stephen Holden|url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/041400psycho-film-review.html | title=Murderer! Fiend! Cad! (But Well-Dressed) | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=April 14, 2000 | access-date=April 8, 2009}}</ref> Ellis said, "American Psycho was a book I didn't think needed to be turned into a movie", as "the medium of film demands answers", which would make the book "infinitely less interesting".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clatl.com/culturesurfing/archives/2010/06/19/1534716-bret-easton-ellis-talks-film-adaptations-at-scad |title=Bret Easton Ellis talks film adaptations at SCAD |publisher=[[Creative Loafing]] |access-date=June 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624060251/http://clatl.com/culturesurfing/archives/2010/06/19/1534716-bret-easton-ellis-talks-film-adaptations-at-scad |archive-date=June 24, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Psycho |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_psycho |access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref>

A [[direct-to-video]] sequel, ''[[American Psycho 2]]'', was released and directed by [[Morgan J. Freeman]]. This film was not based on the novel or the original film, as its only connection with the original is the death of Patrick Bateman (played by Michael Kremko wearing a face mask), briefly shown in a flashback.