Bret Easton Ellis has claimed a number of major stars have "turned down" the lead role in American Psycho.

Director Luca Guadagnino and writer Scott Z. Burns are working on a new adaptation of the author's 1991 novel but Bret has revealed they are having issues with casting because people are hesitant to play serial killer and investment banker Patrick Bateman because Christian Bale did such a great job in the 2000 American Psycho movie.

Bret said on his podcast: "A couple of high profile actors, whom I can't name, have turned it down. I think maybe because they don't want to be in the shoes of Christian Bale."

The author noted Burns has since written a new draft of the script after several actors passed on the previous version and insisted the new film will "bear no resemblance" to the 2000 movie.

He added: "From what I'm told, this movie is completely different from Mary Harron's 2000 movie. It's a completely different take, and going to bear no resemblance to that movie."

However, one way the film won't be different is with a gender-swapped lead role.

Rumours had suggested Margot Robbie was linked to the leading role, but Deadline recently emphasised that was a "non-starter".

American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman, a wealthy Manhattan investment banker who hides his psychopathic violence and murderous impulses behind a facade of charm and material success.

As his obsession with status and control deepens, his grip on reality unravels, exposing the emptiness and brutality of 1980s consumer culture.

Guadagnino previously teased the American Psycho script was "coming out very handsomely".

Appearing in a video segment at CinemaCon, the director said: "We are really working hard to bring to the screen a new adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho, a book that I deeply love that is something that influenced me so much.

"[Scott Z. Burns] is doing an incredible job. The script is coming out very handsomely."

Although Guadagnino didn't reveal any of the cast for his American Psycho movie, the director teased he was currently in "conversation with very exciting performers to play the leads".

The first American Psycho movie starred Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, Jared Leto as Paul Allen, Willem Dafoe as Detective Donald Kimball, Chloe Sevigny as Jean, Reese Witherspoon as Evelyn Williams and Matt Ross as Luis Carruthers.

Lionsgate film chief Adam Fogelson has praised Guadagnino as the "perfect visionary" to lead the new iteration of American Psycho.

He said in a statement: "We are thrilled to add another elite filmmaker to our upcoming slate. Luca is a brilliant artist, and the perfect visionary to create a whole new interpretation of this potent and classic IP."

After the new American Psycho movie was announced, Matt Ross admitted Guadagnino had his "work cut out" to match the quality of the first film.

He told The Hollywood Reporter: "On one hand, I am always sad about remakes.

"I personally have been offered them in the past as a director, and I've been very reticent to engage in that because it always feels like just mercenary capitalism and nothing else."

Ross added the new movie felt "like a business venture more than anything else", but stressed Guadagnino was a "wonderful filmmaker" and was interested to see what the Challengers director could do with American Psycho.

He said: "I think they have their work cut out for them, for no other reason than Christian's performance is exceptional."