Jason Bateman Assembles Marvel A-Listers for New Netflix Movie

Jason Bateman has lined up a new Netflix movie with a title that demands attention: 'The Cackling of the Dodos.' Great title. Zero ornithology. This one leans into small-town mischief and a very messy scheme to keep a secret buried.

The hook

The story tracks a small-town farmer who finds a corpse in a grain bin and tumbles into a cover-up that quickly spirals. The official logline makes it pretty clear what kind of ride we’re in for:

'anything but a nature documentary'

'a chaotic, sloppy cover-up'

Bateman is directing. The screenplay comes from novelist Rye Curtis, whose debut, 'Kingdomtide,' put him on the map. And the leads? A two-hander with Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson, reteaming after 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.' Rockwell won an Oscar for that one; Harrelson was nominated.

The team and why this is interesting

• Jason Bateman (director): Continuing his run with Netflix on original productions. He previously earned a SAG/AFTRA Actor Award nomination for 'Black Rabbit,' starred in the 2024 airport-security thriller 'Carry-On' (which held a spot in Netflix’s Global Top 10 for eight weeks), and anchored 'Ozark,' which pulled 45 Emmy nominations across four seasons.
• Sam Rockwell (star): Oscar winner for 'Three Billboards,' recent turn in 'The White Lotus,' and an additional Academy Award nomination for 'Vice.'
• Woody Harrelson (star): Academy Award nominations for 'The People vs. Larry Flynt' and 'The Messenger,' and now reuniting on-screen with Rockwell.
• Rye Curtis (writer): Adapts his sharp, literary sensibilities from 'Kingdomtide' to a darkly comic rural thriller setup.

Where things stand

'The Cackling of the Dodos' is in development at Netflix, with early details out while production takes shape. Expect more casting tidbits and timeline updates as the film moves forward. For now, file this under: great title, grim discovery, and a duo you absolutely want watching each other’s backs… or not.