What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAmerican Psycho
Bret Easton Ellis · Book · 1991
If you loved American Psycho, start with The Shards (Ryan Murphy, 2026) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to American Psycho across media.
You are drawn to the way American Psycho exposes the hollow, violent rot hidden beneath the polished surface of modern society.
Films on the same thread
American Beauty
Film · 1999
Explores: Mid-life crisis, Suburban malaise, Obsession.
Just as American Psycho dissects the vacuous nature of the elite, this film explores the suburban malaise and repressed obsessions that simmer beneath the facade of a perfect life.
The Shining
Stanley Kubrick · Film · 1980
Shares a thread with American Psycho: Psychological Horror.
If the descent into madness within American Psycho captivated you, you will find a similar chilling psychological disintegration as isolation forces a man to confront his own violent impulses.
Fight Club
David Fincher · Film · 1999
Explores: Consumerism, Male Identity Crisis, Anarchism.
This film mirrors the savage critique of consumerism found in American Psycho, channeling the same sense of male identity crisis and anti-establishment rage into a dark, visceral experience.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Tobe Hooper · Film · 1974
Shares a thread with American Psycho: Psychological Horror.
The dehumanization and sudden, shocking violence that defined American Psycho are present here, offering a visceral look at the intersection of social commentary and pure, unrelenting psychological horror.
Series on the same thread
American Horror Story
Ryan Murphy · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with American Psycho: Psychological Horror.
Much like the shifting, unreliable perspective in American Psycho, this series utilizes a dark, atmospheric approach to explore how trauma and power dynamics warp the identities of its characters.
The Shards
Ryan Murphy · Series · 2026
Explores: obsession, serial killer mystery, elite social circles.
Since you appreciated the unsettling social circles depicted in American Psycho, this period noir provides an equally intense look at obsession and serial killer mystery within elite, closed environments.
True Detective
Nic Pizzolatto · Series · 2014
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Existentialism, Corruption.
The moral ambiguity and existential dread that permeate American Psycho are echoed here, as the investigation into dark secrets unearths the deep-seated corruption and trauma within the human condition.
South Park
Trey Parker · Series · 1997
Explores: Social Commentary, Political Satire, Child Protagonists.
While stylistically different, this series employs the same biting social satire found in American Psycho to expose the dysfunction and absurdity of modern life through a cynical, irreverent lens.
Podcasts on the same thread
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
If the sharp observations on the human condition in American Psycho resonated with you, these personal narratives provide a similar, albeit grounded, window into the peculiarities of society.
Monsters Among Us
Derek Hayes | Audioboom Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Unexplained Phenomena, First-hand Testimony, Atmospheric Horror.
The atmospheric horror and unsettling, first-hand testimonies in these stories capture a sense of dread that will feel familiar to anyone who navigated the psychological landscape of American Psycho.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is American Psycho considered a modern classic?
Yes, American Psycho is recognized as a modern classic. The novel is also included in The Atlantic list of Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years and is described by The Washington Post as a seminal book written by Bret Easton Ellis.
What themes does American Psycho explore?
In American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis explores the incomprehensible depths of madness. The narrative is designed to capture the insanity of violence within our time or any other period, focusing on the experiences of the protagonist, Patrick Bateman, as he moves through his daily life.
Who is the author of American Psycho?
American Psycho was written by Bret Easton Ellis. Published in 1991, the book has achieved international bestseller status and remains one of the most discussed works in the author's bibliography, which also includes his later novel titled The Shards.
When was American Psycho published?
American Psycho was published in 1991. The novel established itself as an international bestseller and a seminal work of literature that examines the insanity of violence and the depths of madness through the perspective of its main character, Patrick Bateman.