Bill Hader to Write, Direct and Star in Horror Film 'They Know

Bill Hader to write, direct, and star in new horror film

Bill Hader will write, direct, and star in a new horror film titled They Know. The project, set up at MRC, will begin production in Los Angeles this spring.

This marks Hader's first feature directing effort since concluding his Emmy-winning HBO series, Barry. He will also produce the film alongside Alex Saks of Saks Picture Company.

The plot centers on a suspicious father

The film centers on a divorced father, played by Hader, who grows suspicious of his ex-wife's new, mysterious boyfriend. The dad becomes convinced this man is having a strange and sinister influence on their children.

MRC Film presidents Brye Adler and Jonathan Golfman stated they were "thrilled" to be collaborating with Hader, calling him a "true creative force."

Hader's shift from comedy to horror

While best known for comedy on Saturday Night Live and in films like Superbad, Hader has steadily moved into darker, genre-driven work. His series Barry blended hitman drama with bleak comedy.

He has also become a sought-after voice in horror, notably for his work co-writing the 2019 film adaptation of It: Chapter Two. Key elements of his recent career include:

• Creating, starring in, and directing multiple episodes of HBO's Barry.
• Co-writing the screenplay for the horror blockbuster It: Chapter Two.
• Executive producing and appearing in documentaries like The History of the World, Part II.

MRC continues its run of filmmaker-driven projects

MRC Film is the studio behind recent critical successes like Knives Out and Saltburn. The company has established a model of giving distinctive filmmakers significant creative freedom.

Securing Hader for an original horror project continues this strategy. No distributor or release window for They Know has been announced yet.