Bill Hader Developing Comic Biopic 'Vaughn Meader' And Action Comedy 'Henchmen'

Is Bill Hader going to be one of the next true breakout comedy stars? He's certainly one of the highlights of Greg Mottola's Paul, where he steals just about any scene in which he appears — and does so while working opposite some great comic talent. It may be a little early for Bill Hader to really break out in Zach Galifianakis or Danny McBride style, but he's heading that direction, and now has two films in development that could offer him new ways to earn the affections of a broad audience. (As if SNL wasn't enough. But it is never enough, as so many movies have proved.)

The Playlist got details on both films. First is Vaughn Meader, which is set up at Ben Stiller's company and is being written by The Wrestler and Big Fan screenwriter Rob Siegel. The film is based on "American comedian and impersonator" Vaughn Meader, and the actor describes it as being both sweet and fairly dark — exactly what you'd expect from the pen of the man behind Big Fan:

It's about this guy who did these JFK impressions back in the '60s and he had this comedy album called The First Family and it was the biggest selling comedy record... He does this insane, amazing JFK impression and then JFK gets assassinated and his whole career goes away... I would like to do... dark.

But not entirely dark!.

It would be pretty sweet. It's a real interesting piece and in a weird way it feeds into now, just like people becoming super famous overnight, reality stars and stuff. This guy became crazy famous, the president was talking about this guy and then it all went away.

Here's video of the real Vaughn Meader performing, and you can find more via a quick YouTube search:

And then there is Henchman, which Akiva Schaffer would direct, and which originally took life as a Black List script by Russell Sharman, Owen Egerton and Chris Mass called Bobbie Sue. That script is being reworked into Henchman, which will be an action comedy informed to some extent by the Paul Greengrass shakycam style.

The film is about two guys who don't realize it, but they're two henchman for like the badguy in a 'Bourne' movie and then they slowly figure who that they're working for the wrong guys, but like doing it in the actual style of a 'Bourne' movie.

Sounds like a great entry point, and a nice flipside to a buddy film like The Other Guys, especially depending on who would play the other lead.