'Doctor Who' Star Matt Smith Cast in 'American Psycho' Musical
Credit: BBC
The Eleventh Doctor is crazier than we ever could have anticipated.
Doctor Who's Matt Smith has been cast in the lead of Patrick Bateman in the upcoming London production of American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis 1991 novel, which was adapted in 2000 into a feature film starring Christian Bale. In the past decade, the film has taken on cult status, to become one of Bale's most recognizable roles (pre-Batman, of course).
The actor has been busy over the last several months, filming his final appearances as the Eleventh Doctor, in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary episode in late November, and in the show's 2013 Christmas special.
Smith will begin rehearsals for Rupert Goold's musical thriller production of American Psycho in the coming weeks, with preview performances beginning Dec. 3 at London's Almeida Theatre. The official opening night is Dec. 12, and the show will run through Jan. 25, 2014.
The show features a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik.
Further details via The Hollywood Reporter:
Aguirre-Sacasa was one of the writers brought in to script-doctor Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway following director Julie Taymor's dismissal. He is also a comic book writer for Marvel and has been a staff writer and producer on Big Love and Glee. He wrote the screenplay for Kimberly Peirce's upcoming screen remake of Carrie.In addition to his career as a recording artist, Sheik has written for a number of theater productions, most notably the Tony winning musical Spring Awakening.
Loaded with graphic violence and sexual content, the American Psycho novel is a darkly satirical first-person account of a slick Manhattan businessman warped by consumer culture into an unrepentant killer who satisfies his most primal urges in a superficial world. The book's title became synonymous with the worst excesses of yuppie narcissism, greed and ruthlessness.
The stage musical adaptation has been in the works for half a decade, having originally been announced for Broadway in 2008.
Goold is artistic director of the Almeida Theatre, which will co-produce American Psycho with his former company Headlong, in association with David Johnson and Jesse Singer for Act 4 Entertainment. Goold's work includes the acclaimed 2008 production of Macbeth starring Patrick Stewart, and the upcoming feature film True Story, starring James Franco and Jonah Hill.