Jason Bateman said directing the 2013 comedy *Bad Words* fulfilled a long-held ambition. He had spent decades acting, but wanted to move behind the camera and eventually stop performing; when two actors dropped out, he also took a role in the film.

Bateman directed the film with a reported $10 million budget, alongside Kathryn Hahn, in a story about a man who enters a children’s spelling contest through a loophole. Its box-office takings did not quite cover its costs, though critics praised Bateman’s performance and directing. Since then he has directed *The Family Fang* and television episodes, including *Ozark*, and is attached to several upcoming film projects.