'Doctor Who's' Matt Smith to Star in 'American Psycho' Musical

The actor best known for the iconic British sci-fi series will play Patrick Bateman in the show based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel.

NEW YORK – The upcoming London production of the American Psycho musical has found its star in Doctor Who's Matt Smith.

The youngest-ever actor to play the cult time-traveler, Smith will make his final appearances in the long-running BBC series' 50th anniversary episode in late November and, soon after that, in the show's Christmas special.

Before then, Smith will return to his stage roots, beginning rehearsals for the role of Patrick Bateman in Rupert Goold's production of American Psycho. The musical thriller based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel begins performances Dec. 3 at London's Almeida Theatre and runs through Jan. 25, 2014. The official opening night is Dec. 12.

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The show has been adapted from Ellis' controversial 1991 novel by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik.

Aguirre-Sacasa was one of the writers brought in to script-doctor Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway following director Julie Taymor's dismissal. He is also a comic book writer for Marvel and has been a staff writer and producer on Big Love and Glee. He wrote the screenplay for Kimberly Peirce's upcoming screen remake of Carrie.

In addition to his career as a recording artist, Sheik has written for a number of theater productions, most notably the Tony-winning musical Spring Awakening.

Loaded with graphic violence and sexual content, the American Psycho novel is a darkly satirical first-person account of a slick Manhattan businessman warped by consumer culture into an unrepentant killer. The book's title became synonymous with the worst excesses of yuppie narcissism, greed and ruthlessness. Mary Harron directed a 2000 feature film adaptation that starred Christian Bale.

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The stage musical version has been in the works for some time, originally announced for Broadway in 2008.

Goold is artistic director of the Almeida Theatre, which will co-produce American Psycho with his former company Headlong, in association with David Johnson and Jesse Singer for Act 4 Entertainment, by special arrangement with Edward R. Pressman.

The director's work has been seen on Broadway in 2008 in an acclaimed production of Macbeth starring Patrick Stewart and in a commercially unsuccessful transfer of the West End hit Enron in 2010. He recently directed his first feature film, True Story, for Plan B and Fox Searchlight, starring James Franco and Jonah Hill.