Stories from the set

Despite the film being set in 1987, Ronald Reagan appears at the end of the film on a late-1990s model Sony Trinitron television.

The film is based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel American Psycho (1991).

Christian Bale's role in American Psycho was originally intended for Leonardo DiCaprio. Bale was invited to the role personally by the film's director, Mary Harron, and by Bret Easton Ellis, the writer of the novel on which the film was based.

When Leonardo DiCaprio became interested in the role of Bateman, the film's budget rose sharply, and not only Christian Bale but also director Mary Harron were asked to leave the project. Fortunately, DiCaprio was persuaded not to set a bad example for his many fans with this role, and Bale and Harron returned to the project.

Oliver Stone also showed interest in the project for a long time.

The role of Bateman was also offered to Edward Norton.

David Cronenberg was not averse to making the film if Brad Pitt played the lead role and Bret Easton Ellis wrote the screenplay himself.

Bateman mentions the name of a certain Cliff Huxtable. This is the name of Bill Cosby's character in the series «The Cosby Show» (1984-1992).

Bateman works at the fictional firm «Pierce & Pierce». Sherman McCoy from the film «The Bonfire of the Vanities» (1990) also worked at this same firm.

On the TV, Bateman is shown «The Texas Chain Saw Massacre» (1974).