20 Things You Didn't Know About American Psycho

2. The Marketing Campaign Included E-Mails Written By Patrick Bateman (And Bale Hated It)

Though viral marketing was still in its absolute infancy in the year 2000, American Psycho was somewhat ahead of the curve with the decision to release e-mails supposedly written by Patrick Bateman to his therapist.

The e-mails were actually penned by a writer who worked on the film and were approved by Ellis before release, detailing Bateman's life after the events of the movie, while also referencing elements from the novel that didn't make it into the film.

But Bale himself wasn't too keen on the tactic, adding, "My main objection is that some people think it will be me returning those e-mails. I don't like that...I think the movie stands on its own merits and should attract an audience that can appreciate intelligent satire. It's not a slasher flick, but it's also not American Pie. The marketing should reflect that."

The e-mails might seem like a quaint marketing tactic two decades on, but it was certainly massively cutting edge at the time of the film's original release.