Bret Easton Ellis goes from American Psycho to killer shark

Though he’s notorious for the satire and excess of stories like AMERICAN PSYCHO, LESS THAN ZERO and RULES OF ATTRACTION, writer Bret Easton Ellis apparently also likes a good shark movie.

Ellis’ horror-thriller script BAIT is getting made by Picture Machine and Galavis Films, with Jonas Pate (SHRINK, “Caprica”) directing.

The story, set in Spain, is only described as being about “a disturbed woman who holds a group of American students hostage in shark-infested waters.” Vague but promising, given the shocking and graphic directions Ellis tends to take with his material.

Pate has other qualifications for a water-based thriller — he and twin brother Josh created the short-lived TV series “Surface” (which was originally titled “Fathom”, and changed because of the ocean-themed comic of the same name, at the time a possible James Cameron movie project).

This BAIT is unrelated to the upcoming 3D movie of the same name, directed by Russell Mulcahy (HIGHLANDER) and also about killer sharks.