Bill Hader’s Horror Script Rejected: Confidence Shaken by Hollywood Exec
Bill Hader opens up about a stinging rejection from a Hollywood producer that left him doubting his own horror screenplay, despite his celebrated run in comedy and television.
Even the most accomplished creatives aren’t shielded from a tough critique. There’s a familiar rhythm to making something new—first, you’re buzzing with ideas, then you’re flat out working, then the doubts creep in, and before you know it, you’re convinced it’s all a bit rubbish. Bill Hader knows this cycle all too well, which might explain why his horror film hasn’t seen the light of day.
For anyone who’s tuned into telly or film comedy over the last couple of decades, Hader’s a recognisable face. He’s been behind some of the sharpest moments on Saturday Night Live, thanks to his knack for characters, timing, and spot-on impressions. That’s not even counting his roles in films like Pineapple Express, Hot Rod, and Superbad. More recently, he poured his energy into Barry, a darkly funny series about a hitman who fancies himself as an actor. The show, which wrapped up in 2023, raked in a stack of awards, including a hefty haul of Emmys and a few Golden Globes for good measure.
From Comedy to Chilling: A New Direction
After Barry finished, Hader didn’t take a breather. Instead, he jumped straight into writing a horror script, hoping to make a splash in a new genre. But things didn’t quite go to plan. Chatting with Ari Aster, the bloke behind Hereditary, Hader shared how his meeting with a major Hollywood producer went sideways. The producer, who Hader described as “a very smart, lovely guy,” wasn’t exactly won over by the script.
“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. I had a meeting with a big producer – actually, a very smart, lovely guy. But his response to it was so bad.”
Given Barry’s dark humour and Hader’s fondness for unsettling films like David Cronenberg’s The Brood, you’d reckon the producer might have been up for something a bit offbeat. But apparently, he found the script “disturbing” and “cynical.”
Knockback and Self-Doubt
Hader recalled the exec’s blunt feedback:
“This is so mean-spirited and horrible and everything,” adding: “I was like, yeah, it’s a horror movie, did you not see my TV show?”
The knockback hit hard. Hader admitted, “I really lost my confidence.” It’s a reminder that even those at the top of their game can be rattled by a harsh word, especially when stepping outside their usual patch.
Still, inspiration has a way of sneaking back in. After watching Aster’s 2025 small-town Covid drama Eddington, which copped mixed reviews, Hader felt the urge to revisit his horror script. No word yet on whether it’ll ever make it to the big screen, but the idea’s not dead and buried.
New Projects and Darker Stories
While the horror project’s future is up in the air, Hader’s keeping busy. He’s lending his voice to a new take on the kids’ classic The Cat in the Hat. On a completely different note, there’s talk he’s involved in a possible HBO series about the 1978 Jonestown Massacre—a grim chapter in history where cult leader Jim Jones led a mass murder-suicide in Guyana, claiming the lives of 918 people. The phrase “drinking the Kool Aid” comes from that tragedy, where followers were given a poisoned grape drink, and some were forced to take it against their will.