Christian Bale addresses Luca Guadagnino's new take on American Psycho

Christian Bale has described the new adaptation of American Psycho has "a bold choice".

The Dark Knight actor, who played the homicidal banker Patrick Bateman in the 2000 movie, has given Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino kudos for being "brave" in taking on another adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's book.

"I loved making it with (director) Mary Harron so many years back, fantastic memories of it all," he told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of his new film The Bride! on Tuesday night. "Bold choice of anyone to try to do a - I don't know if they're doing a remake or what, I don't know anything else about it. But all the best to 'em, I like brave people."

When asked if he had any actors in mind to play the new Patrick Bateman, he replied, "Whoever wants to give it a shot, give it a pop."

In the original 2000 movie, Bale played a New York City investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. He starred alongside Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Chloë Sevigny and Reese Witherspoon.

The new film will not be a remake of that project but rather a new take on Ellis's 1991 novel of the same name, with Scott Z. Burns writing the script.

While Austin Butler and Jacob Elordi were rumoured to be playing Patrick, Ellis revealed on his podcast last month that two high-profile actors passed on the role, possibly because they don't want to follow in Bale's footsteps.

"A couple of high-profile actors, whom I can't name, have turned it down," he said, reports Variety. "I think maybe because they don't want to be in the shoes of Christian Bale."

He added that the new version will be "completely different" and "bear no resemblance" to its predecessor.

The new American Psycho movie does not yet have a release date. The Bride! hits cinemas on Friday.