Hold on to your popcorn, folks! Bill Hader, yes, the funny guy from Barry and Saturday Night Live, is about to flip the script on cults, and it’s happening over at HBO. That’s right, the guy who made us laugh our heads off is taking a deep dive into the tragic, crazy world of Jonestown, the infamous cult led by Jim Jones. Talk about a 180!
Here’s what we know: Bill is teaming up with Bloodline mastermind Daniel Zelman to co-write and showrun this insane new series. And we’re not talking about your average true-crime doc. No, no. This one’s a drama, baby. Hader’s gonna direct, maybe star, and you know what? It’s got that HBO prestige written all over it.
Let’s face it—Jonestown is one of those jaw-dropping stories that’s impossible to look away from. Over 900 people died in that mass suicide in 1978, and there’s been no shortage of documentaries and books about it. But a scripted series? That’s fresh. Expect HBO to bring their A-game when it comes to giving us all the creepy, culty details. And we bet they’ll lean into the psychological chaos that led to the madness. The series is gonna peel back the curtain on the manipulative mind games and twisted charm of Jim Jones.
Now, let’s be real for a sec. Hader’s got a knack for flipping expectations. He’s known for his dark comedy, but Jonestown? That’s a whole different ballgame. Can he nail the creepy factor while still bringing that Hader-style humor? We think so.
So, buckle up, because this isn’t just any cult story. Bill Hader’s Jonestown series is about to mess with your mind in all the right ways.
BILL HADER JONESTOWN SERIES???? pic.twitter.com/8g6uukrlNC
— dhanush 🍉 (@spunchbawbII) April 23, 2025