One killer of an idea for a Broadway musical

Can this be for real?

Culture Monster just got our hands on a press release telling us that a team of producers is hoping to turn Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" into a musical.

You remember "American Psycho," right? The 1991 book about the yuppie serial killer caused a stir among feminist groups, who railed against its misogynistic themes. The novel was later made into the 2000 film starring our favorite bat-hunk, Christian Bale.

Now the Santa Monica-based Johnson-Roessler Co., a new entertainment company founded by two former MGM executives, has teamed with the management group The Collective and the recently formed production company XYZ Films to adapt the movie for the stage. And like any first-time producers of a new musical, their hope is to take their baby to Broadway.

As the press release notes: "There has been a recent influx of successful novel-to-Broadway adaptations. Amanda Brown's 'Legally Blonde' has become an audience favorite and Gregory Maguire's 'Wicked' has broken box office records...."

OK, there's precedent. We'll buy that.

Plus we've seen some bloody good musicals in the past, including one by the name of "Sweeney Todd," which just had a Broadway revival a couple of years ago, followed by last year's Tim Burton-Johnny Depp movie.

Of course, Culture Monster is aware that not all musicals make it to the Great White Way. But, hey, if all goes as planned, maybe one day the fluffy pink Elle Woods of "Legally Blonde" and the empowered green witch Elphaba of "Wicked" will be joined by a blood-red, chainsaw wielding Patrick Bateman.

Can "Howard the Duck: The Musical" be far behind?

-- Lisa Fung

"American Psycho" photo by Kerry Hayes

"Legally Blonde" photo by Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images 

Comments

[Mary P.]

If these neophytes bring "American Psycho" to Broadway, it will surely join the ranks of that other memorable blood-and-gore show, "Carrie: The Musical." Please spare us.

[frankly]

C'mon! We live in a decadent society even if the economy fails its in our blood. Let that blood spill! And spill on stage! I'll double-feature 'The Fly' the "Amercan Psycho" the musical. Wow. How cool are we American Psychos!

[James]

"Jaws the Musical" is the logical choice next for the Great White Way.

[Dylan K.]

PLEASE stop making musicals out of stuff we've already seen. Would it kill these people to write something original?

[Reva R.]

How about "Bullwinkle and Rocky: the Musical"? And if the Psycho producers are intent on death, destruction and blood, bring in the "Sarah Palin" character to slay the beloved moose in Act II.