# “It was pretty surreal”: the 2013 movie Jason Bateman called a “dream come true”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/it-was-pretty-surreal-the-2013-movie-jason-bateman-called-a-dream-come-true/
- Published: 2026-09-28T10:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-28T10:43:00+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/movie-jason-bateman-called-dream-come-true/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Directing *Bad Words* fulfilled Bateman’s long-standing ambition.
- He acted in it after two cast members dropped out.
- He has since directed films and acclaimed television.

## Summary

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.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.