Focus Features Nabs Rights to Jason Bateman's BAD WORDS

Variety reports that Focus Features has nabbed worldwide distribution rights to Jason Bateman's directorial debut BAD WORDS, with plans to release the dark comedy film next year.

Read the original report here.

BAD WORDS was filmed over a month last year in Los Angeles. The movie stars Bateman, Allison Janney, Phillip Baker Hall, Kathryn Hahn and Ben Falcone.

Based on Andrew Dodge's original screenplay, BAD WORDS chronicles a middle-aged man (Batemen) who dropped out of High School and decides to enter the National Quill Spelling Bee. Janney and Hall will take on the roles of the spelling bee directors.

Darko Entertainment is financing the film, with Bateman, MXN Entertainment's Mason Novick, and Darko's Sean McKittrick and Jeff Culotta producing.

Bateman's first directing job was on the NBC series "Valerie's Family," in which he also starred. He later directed episodes of "Arrested Development" and "Family Matters." He recently returned as Michael Bluth in Netflix's revival of the series, and will appear in the planned movie of Arrested Development. He recently began filming for Adam Shankman's 'This Is Where I Leave You' opposite Zac Efron, and will also appear in Horrible Bosses 2.

Bateman's TV credits include It's Your Move, and The Hogan Family. He portrayed Michael Bluth on Arrested Development, for which he won a TV Land Award, a Golden Globe, and two Satellite Awards. His film credits include The Kingdom, Juno, Hancock, Up in the Air, Paul, and Horrible Bosses.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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