Jason Bateman’s New Project Has Different Take On ‘Bad Words’

Jason Bateman might be best known for his role in the cult classic television Arrested Development. That doesn’t mean that show is anywhere near his only accomplishment in the entertainment industry. A new trailer for Bateman’s latest project and, Bad Words has surfaced.

The new movie takes a very different spin on spelling bees, as Bateman also stars as a 40-year-old jerk who has taken advantage of a loophole in order to compete against much younger competition. Jason says that he called back to his own childhood star past in order to make his young costars feel comfortable on set during production.

The Los Angeles Times talked to Bateman about his experiences directing child actor Rohan Chand. “I remembered what I needed to hear as a little kid to feel comfortable and safe on set,” Bateman told The Times at the film’s Hollywood premiere. “I tried to call upon a lot of that stuff to make Rohan feel comfortable.”

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Jason might be best known for Arrested Development these days, but the actor got his start 1981 on the television series “Little House on the Prairie.” Batman also had recurring roles on series like Silver Spoons and The Hogan Family.

While Jason hasn’t been behind the camera all that often, Bad Words isn’t actually his directorial debut. The Daily Record reports Bateman actually became the Directors Guild’s youngest member ever, at the tender age of 18 thanks to helming a few episodes of Valerie.

Since that stint as a young director, he’s put together a long list of mostly funny appearances in dozens of movies while still being more widely recognized as the head of the Bluth family in the short lived but much loved series alongside stars such as Portia De Rossi.

Now he seems to have the directing bug in his system, considering he’s taken on another project alongside Nicole Kidman in The Family Fang. Before that movie hits theaters, Bad Words will make Jason look like a truly bad guy. Bateman’s character, Guy Trilby manages to move up through the junior spelling bee commission thanks to a hole in the rules.

Its not until Jason Bateman befriends Chand’s character that he starts to see the error of his ways. Before that friendship is built, Bateman’s character spews plenty of vile words and performs less than desirable actions. Jason’s new film is decidedly low budget, with Bateman and the rest of the cast all hailing from the Los Angeles area, where Bad Words was also filmed.

Jason Bateman’s newest directorial work will hit limited release on March 14.