Jason Bateman
has been in the acting business since he was a child, and though he had a lot of projects as a child and teen performer, Bateman’s best movies and tv shows are all from his career as an adult. His career began with television commercials in the 1980s before he gained roles in shows like Little House on the Prairie and Silver Spoons. Though a lot of working child actors might not be able to successfully transition to more adult roles, Bateman did, and he found his niche mostly in comedic roles.
Bateman also made history when he directed episodes of The Hogan Family in the 1980s at just 18 years old. At the time, he was the youngest member of the Directors Guild of America. Bateman directed three episodes of the show, and as an actor today, he often pulls double-duty as a director too. He has even directed on some of his best projects.
10
Carry-On (2024)
As The Traveler
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7.4/10
Carry-On
PG-13
ActionDramaMysteryThriller
Carry On is a film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, focusing on a young TSA agent who is coerced by a mysterious traveler into allowing a dangerous package onto a Christmas Eve flight. As events unfold, he must use his wits to resolve the perilous situation.
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Release Date
December 13, 2024
Runtime
119 Minutes
Cast
Taron Egerton
, Jason Bateman
, Sofia Carson
, Danielle Deadwyler
, Tonatiuh
, Theo Rossi
, Logan Marshall-Green
, Dean Norris
, Sinqua Walls
, Curtiss Cook
, Joe Williamson
, Gil Perez-Abraham
, Josh Brener
, Benito Martinez
, Edwin Kho
, Reisha Reynolds
, Adam Stephenson
, Michael Scott
, Jeff Pope
, Raymond Rehage
Writers
Michael Green
, T.J. Fixman
Director
Jaume Collet-Serra
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One of Bateman’s most recent movies is a Netflix original opposite Taron Edgerton and Sofia Carson. Though Bateman is a comedy veteran, his modern forays into drama have really allowed the actor to show his range.
Carry-On follows Edgerton as a security employee at an airport. While working during the holiday season, Bateman’s “traveler” calls him with a proposition about allowing his bag to get onto a plane regardless of what is inside it. Much of Bateman’s time in the movie is spent on the other end of a phone, blending into a crowd, and appearing altogether menacing. He makes for the perfect modern villain.
Though the movie did not land on Netflix until the last few weeks of 2024, it became one of the most streamed movies of the year for the platform, earning 42 million views in its first week available.
Related
Carry-On Really Does Have A Lot In Common With Toy Story 2
Jason Bateman’s new Netflix thriller movie Carry-On and Disney’s 1999 children’s classic Toy Story 2 shockingly have quite a bit in common.
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9
Juno (2007)
As Mark Loring
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Juno
PG-13
ComedyDrama
Starring Elliot Page, Juno follows the titular character, a teenage girl who unexpectedly becomes pregnant. Deciding to give the baby up for adoption once it is born, Juno finds and befriends Mark and Vanessa, and childless couple desperate for a baby, who she plans to let adopt her child once she gives birth. Michael Cera also stars as Juno’s boyfriend Paulie, with a further cast that includes Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J. K. Simmons.
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Release Date
December 25, 2007
Runtime
96 minutes
Cast
Jason Bateman
, Michael Cera
, Allison Janney
, Elliot Page
, J. K. Simmons
, Jennifer Garner
Director
Jason Reitman
Writers
Diablo Cody
In 2007, Jason Bateman was primarily known for two things: his work as a child star in the 1980s and his work in the off-beat comedy Arrested Development. Juno was a very different project for him. While the movie had comedic elements, it was largely a drama, and Bateman played a supporting role.
Here, Bateman starred as Mark Loring, the husband of the woman who wants to adopt the titular Juno’s baby. He also, however, plays up secretive and lecherous behavior, even hitting on the teenage Juno when his wife is not around. It allowed him to present a side of his acting others had not seen before, and helped to open a few more dramatic doors for him.
The movie was a film festival and award show darling, earning praise and nominations from critics and industry insiders alike. Though Bateman did not pick up any awards for his supporting role, the movie won Best Screenplay at the Oscars.
8
State Of Play (2009)
As Dominic Foy
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State of Play
PG-13
Thriller
State of Play is a political thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald. The film features Russell Crowe as a journalist who investigates the death of a congressman’s aide. Co-starring Ben Affleck as the congressman, the storyline delves into themes of corruption, media, and political intrigue. The ensemble cast includes Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, and Robin Wright, who contribute to unraveling a complex narrative marked by suspense and moral ambiguity.
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Release Date
April 17, 2009
Runtime
127 Minutes
Cast
Russell Crowe
, Ben Affleck
, Rachel McAdams
, Helen Mirren
, Robin Wright
Director
Kevin Macdonald
Writers
Matthew Michael Carnahan
, Billy Ray
, Tony Gilroy
State Of Play is a thriller, and in the 2000s, not a genre Jason Bateman had performed within often. The movie is inspired by a British television series, one which combined modern political headlines with a search for the truth from journalists, but, of course, the stories were fictional. State of Play puts a political conspiracy and murder mystery at the center of the story of a group of journalists just trying to uncover the real story.
Bateman does not play one of the journalists. Instead, he appears in a supporting role as a public relations officer for a defense contractor that is part of the conspiracy. Bateman gets to appear alongside, and be interrogated by, Russell Crowe’s journalist. It’s not a huge role for him, but one in which he holds his own against a heavyweight dramatic actor.
7
Horrible Bosses (2011)
As Kurt
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6/10
6/10
Horrible Bosses
pg-13
ComedyCrime
Friends Nick, Dale, and Kurt all work for despicable bosses: Nick’s boss is a sadistic man on a power trip, Dale’s boss sexually harasses him, and Kurt’s boss is an arrogant, indifferent cocaine addict. When Kurt jokes that their lives would be better without their bosses in them, the three decide to team up and kill each other’s tormentors.
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Release Date
July 8, 2011
Runtime
106minutes
Cast
Jason Bateman
, P.J. Byrne
, Steve Wiebe
, Kevin Spacey
, Charlie Day
, Lindsay Sloane
Director
Seth Gordon
Writers
Michael Markowitz
, John Francis Daley
, Jonathan M. Goldstein
…the movie is a great example of how well he works in a comedic ensemble.
This comedy provides a dark premise: three friends conspire to kill the bosses that make their lives difficult. Bateman plays one of the friends alongside Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. All three actors have done the bulk of their work in comedic roles, and all of that experience means they have impeccable timing and can make just about any joke land. Their chemistry as friends is part of what sells the outlandish premise as well.
Because of the comedic nature of the movie, the friends do not exactly set out to accomplish what they want to do. A series of mistakes leads to a comedy of errors that gets rid of some of the bosses in a very different way than planned. While Bateman might not have been singled out by awards shows or many critics for his work, the movie is a great example of how well he works in a comedic ensemble.
Related
Meghan Markle’s Forgotten Horrible Bosses Cameo – Who She Played
Meghan Markle had a very brief role in the 2011 comedy Horrible Bosses that people often forget about, and here’s the character she played.
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6
Air (2023)
As Rob Strasser
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9/10
8/10
Air
PG-13
BiopicDrama
Air tells the story of one of Nike’s most popular shoes ever made, the Air Jordan. Matt Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, who took a risk to center a shoe line on the then amateur basketball player Michael Jordan. Damon is reunited with Ben Affleck in the film, and also stars Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis.
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Release Date
April 5, 2023
Runtime
95 minutes
Cast
Ben Affleck
, Viola Davis
, Matt Damon
, Jason Bateman
, Gustaf Skarsgård
, Chris Messina
Director
Ben Affleck
Writers
Alex Convery
Amazon Studios took the tale of basketball star Michael Jordan signing with Nike to be the face of their new basketball shoe and created a dramatic movie that ended up getting a star-studded cast and a theatrical release. The movie was initially intended as a Prime Video exclusive, but test screenings demonstrated that it would benefit from a wider audience, and it was largely a success with movie-goers and critics alike.
Bateman plays one of the employees with Nike who is instrumental in the development of the Air Jordan and the company’s relationship with Jordan. Here, he plays a supporting role yet again. He is part of an ensemble that includes such big names as Viola Davis, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon. The ensemble was nominated for multiple awards from critics associations and the movie received two Golden Globe nominations.
5
Zootopia (2016)
As Nick Wilde
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8/10
8.3/10
Zootopia
PG
AnimationAdventureActionFamily
Disney’s Zootopia takes place in the titular city, a place where anthropomorphic animals peacefully coexist. Following Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit, as she strikes up an unlikely partnership with a con artist fox (Jason Bateman). Working together, the pair discover a criminal conspiracy that involves the disappearance of predators, and follow it all the way to the heart of the city.
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Release Date
March 4, 2016
Runtime
108 Minutes
Cast
Octavia Spencer
, Bonnie Hunt
, Maurice LaMarche
, Idris Elba
, John DiMaggio
, Jason Bateman
, Alan Tudyk
, Nate Torrence
, Katie Lowes
, Ginnifer Goodwin
, Tommy Chong
, Shakira
, J. K. Simmons
, Jenny Slate
, Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister
Director
Jared Bush
, Rich Moore
, Byron Howard
Writers
Phil Johnston
, Jared Bush
Expand
Though Zootopia happens to be an animated Disney movie, it also happens to be an odd-couple workplace comedy, which is why it is exactly within Bateman’s wheelhouse. He just happens to lend his voice to the role instead of filming in front of a camera himself. Bateman plays a con artist fox who gets roped into helping a police officer uncover a conspiracy surrounding missing predators.
When discussing the movie with USA Today, Bateman recognized that the role of a charming schemer was not all that different from many of the roles he played as a child actor or even in some of his adult comedic roles. He was not initially sure how to approach the role, or whether he should try out a different voice, explaining he even asked about that:
‘What kind of voice do you guys want me to do?’ And they just looked at me like I was an idiot and said, ‘Just do what you do. Just talk.’
Bateman brings his own unique form of charisma and humor to the role, even with simply the use of his own voice. Zootopia became a hit with kids, adults, and movie critics, being nominated for dozens of awards. It won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.
Bateman also won Outstanding Achievement For Voice Acting In A Feature at the Annie Awards.
4
The Gift (2015)
As Simon
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The Gift
R
DramaMysteryThriller
The Gift is a psychological thriller directed by Joel Edgerton, starring Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Edgerton himself. The film revolves around a couple’s life being disrupted by the sudden reappearance of an old acquaintance bearing mysterious gifts. As unsettling secrets from the past surface, the line between victim and perpetrator blurs, leading to a suspenseful and dramatic confrontation.
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Release Date
August 7, 2015
Runtime
108 Minutes
Cast
Jason Bateman
, Rebecca Hall
, Joel Edgerton
, Allison Tolman
, Tim Griffin
, Busy Philipps
, Adam Lazarre-White
, Beau Knapp
Director
Joel Edgerton
Writers
Joel Edgerton
It’s a conflicting performance and a fantastic one. The Gift is Bateman’s best dramatic movie.
Though he has been in several dramatic roles since, for nearly a decade, The Gift was Jason Bateman’s best-known dramatic role. He earned a lot of praise for his turn in the thriller because his easy charm is still present in the movie, but there’s also a turn that makes it clear not all of that charm is genuine.
Bateman plays a man who moves with his wife to attempt to get a fresh start for them. Following the move, however, they get a visit from an old classmate of his, and their lives are turned upside down. The psychological thriller sees Bateman do some of his best work as the audience grows to understand that he is a bully, but he is also somehow likable because he’s Bateman. It’s a conflicting performance and a fantastic one. The Gift is Bateman’s best dramatic movie.
3
Game Night (2018)
As Max
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7/10
8/10
Game Night
R
ComedyAction
Written by Mark Perez and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Starring Jason Bateman, Billy Magnussen, Rachel McAdams, and Sharon Horgan, the 2018 Comedy sees a routine game night turn into a mystery when one of the regular members is kidnapped.
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Release Date
February 23, 2018
Runtime
93minutes
Cast
Sharon Horgan
, Rachel McAdams
, Danny Huston
, Kyle Chandler
, Chelsea Pereti
, Jason Bateman
, Lamorne Morris
, Jesse Plemons
, Kylie Bunbury
, Michael C. Hall
Director
Jonathan Goldstein
, John Francis Daley
, Billy Magnussen
Writers
Mark Perez
When it comes to the comedic movies of Bateman’s long Hollywood career, Game Night is the best. It’s also his best movie.
Game Night is a darkly comedic tale. It sees a group of friends who periodically unite for Game Night. When what they think is a role playing mystery game turns out to be a real kidnapping, the friends have to band together to save the life of one of their relatives and recover stolen property.
Bateman plays the character who usually hosts the game nights with his wife. It’s his brother who is initially kidnapped. The movie combines dramatically high (and often ridiculous) stakes with hilarious scenes that feel like they would be at home in an improv troupe. That’s why the movie works. The chemistry between the cast makes even the most outlandish of situations seem natural. That’s especially true for Bateman and Rachel McAdams, who plays his wife.
Bateman, McAdams, and the movie were all nominated for Critics Choice Awards.
2
Arrested Development (2003-2019)
As Michael Bluth
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8/10
8.6/10
Arrested Development
Comedy
Arrested Development is a comedy TV series that chronicles the descent from the wealth of the fictional Bluth Family. Michael Bluth, the most “well-adjusted” of the group, decides to break away from the family and let them fall into ruin after his father is imprisoned for real estate fraud. Despite his attempts, Michael tries to protect his family – from themselves – as he tries to settle his family’s affairs and clear them of wrongdoing while caring for his teenaged son.
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Release Date
March 15, 2019
Cast
Jeffrey Tambor
, Ron Howard
, Michael Cera
, Alia Shawkat
, David Cross
, Jason Bateman
, Portia de Rossi
, Tony Hale
, Will Arnett
, Jessica Walter
Seasons
5
Showrunner
Mitchell Hurwitz
Arrested Development will likely be the project Jason Bateman is best-known for during his career. Though the series might not have garnered the ratings FOX would have wanted when it first aired, the show developed a loyal following who found it on Netflix when the streamer ordered new seasons. It also earned critical praise for its performances, cast chemistry, and outlandish scripts.
Bateman stars as Michael Bluth, one of the siblings at the center of the story. His character is often the “straight man” of the comedy, trying to hold his family together while they all engage in off-the-wall schemes that could get them in trouble. Bateman, however, offers glimpses now and then that demonstrate he might not be as well-adjusted as the series would initially suggest, often giving in to the family’s dysfunction.
Bateman received several award nominations during his time on Arrested Development, winning Best Actor In A Television Series – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes in 2004. Bateman also directed an episode of the series while starring in the show.
Related
10 Best Episodes Of Arrested Development
There are some great Arrested Development episodes over the show’s run, but some of the episodes are better than others.
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1
Ozark (2017-2022)
As Marty Byrde
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7.7/10
Ozark
ThrillerDramaCrime
Ozark is a drama-thriller that follows the Byrde family’s journey from their everyday, suburban Chicago life to their dangerous criminal enterprise in the Ozarks, Missouri. When financial advisor Marty Byrde sees a money-laundering scheme for a prolific Mexican drug cartel go wrong, he is forced to launder $500 million in five years to keep himself and his family safe. The series explores capitalism, family dynamics, and survival through the eyes of (anything but) ordinary Americans.
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Release Date
July 21, 2017
Cast
Julia Garner
, Katrina Lenk
, Damian Young
, Felix Solis
, Joseph Sikora
, Sofia Hublitz
, John Bedford Lloyd
, Charlie Tahan
, Jessica Frances Dukes
, Ali Stroker
, Lisa Emery
, Adam Rothenberg
, Laura Linney
, Skylar Gaertner
, CC Castillo
, Jason Bateman
, Bruno Bichir
, Alfonso Herrera
Seasons
4
Showrunner
Bill Dubuque
Expand
Ozark is Bateman’s best project to date. The streaming series was made exclusively for Netflix with four seasons released between 2017 and 2022. Bateman also directed episodes of the series and was an executive producer on Ozark, making it one of the projects he also had the most creative input on.
The series follows a man who uproots his family from their lives in Chicago and moves them to the Lake of the Ozarks in order to launder money for a drug cartel. He makes the move after a big mistake lands him in hot water with the criminals, and he promises to make up for it. The series allows Bateman to have some darkly funny moments, but it is by and large a drama. Critics loved the series and praised the performances of Bateman, Laura Linney, and Julia Garner in particular.
During the show’s run, Ozark was nominated for more than 40 Emmy Awards, including a few nominations for Bateman as an actor and a win for him as a director. Bateman also received two Golden Globe nominations for his acting work on the series as well as three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Ozark is easily Jason Bateman’s most lauded project.