Bill Hader's Horror Film Was So 'Horrible' It Got Rejected
Even comedy legends face harsh rejection. After the massive success of 'Barry,' Bill Hader poured his creative energy into a new horror screenplay, only to have a top Hollywood executive deliver a brutal verdict that shattered his confidence. What did the producer say that was so bad?
No matter how many awards line their shelves, creative professionals are not shielded from the sting of harsh feedback. The journey of bringing a project to life often follows a predictable, gut-wrenching path: a spark of inspiration gives way to a frenzy of work, which is soon followed by nagging self-doubt and the crushing belief that the creation is a failure. Comedian and director Bill Hader recently experienced this rollercoaster firsthand, which explains why his anticipated scary movie remains unmade.
From Comedy Star to Acclaimed Director
For two decades, Bill Hader has been a staple of American comedy. His unforgettable characters and spot-on impressions made him a standout on Saturday Night Live, and he delivered memorable performances in hit films like Pineapple Express and Superbad. His talent isn't just for laughs, though.
Hader spent half a decade dedicating himself to his dark comedy series, Barry. The show, which followed a contract killer who stumbles into an acting class, earned him and his co-star Henry Winkler numerous accolades, including a staggering 44 Emmy nominations and several Golden Globes. Hader wasn't just the star; he was the creative force who co-wrote, directed, and shaped the show's unique vision through its 2023 finale.
A Crushing Pitch Meeting
Riding high on the success of his hit show, Hader dove straight into his next passion project without taking a break: a horror film script. He secured a meeting with a major producer to pitch his idea, but the encounter didn't unfold as he'd hoped. Speaking with Ari Aster, the director of Hereditary, Hader recounted the painful experience. “I had written a horror movie right after Barry wrapped, I didn’t really take a break… I kind of went right into writing this feature,” he explained. “I had a meeting with a big producer – actually, a very smart, lovely guy. But his response to it was so bad.”
Considering the dark and violent themes explored in Barry, one might assume an executive would be prepared for a challenging script from Hader. The actor is also a known fan of unsettling cinema, like David Cronenberg’s The Brood. Yet, the unnamed producer was completely turned off by the screenplay, labeling it ‘disturbing’ and ‘cynical.’ The executive’s feedback was blunt: “This is so mean-spirited and horrible and everything.” Hader’s incredulous reply was simple: “I was like, yeah, it’s a horror movie, did you not see my TV show?”
Bouncing Back with New Projects
The harsh critique left Hader feeling defeated. “I really lost my confidence,” he admitted. It wasn't until he saw Ari Aster's 2025 film Eddington that he felt a renewed spark to potentially revisit the script. While the status of his scary movie is unknown, Hader has hardly been idle.
He is lending his voice to a new animated version of the children’s classic The Cat in the Hat. In a much darker turn, he is also reportedly developing an HBO series centered on the 1978 Jonestown Massacre. This project would explore the tragic mass murder-suicide orchestrated by cult leader Jim Jones in Guyana, an event that claimed 918 lives and originated the chilling phrase ‘drinking the Kool Aid.’ The historical event involved the Reverend Jim Jones leading his Peoples Temple cult to a remote settlement in South America to escape oversight from the U.S. government and media. The tragedy culminated in members consuming a poison-laced beverage though some, particularly the younger ones, were injected with the poison against their will.