“It was something that I wanted to do for so long,” Jason Bateman said of his first directorial effort at the Variety Studio on Saturday.

“Bad Words,” which recently debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, was quickly acquired by Focus Features after premiering on Friday but Bateman, known for his comedic roles in “Horrible Bosses,” “Arrested Development,” and “Identity Thief,” was visibly nervous at the first screening of his new comedy.

“My wife said that was 10x’s as stressful as sitting next to me at a premiere,” he said, adding “There’s nowhere to hide. If it sucks, you suck.”

Starring Bateman and Kathryn Hahn, “Bad Words” tells the story of a foul-mouthed misanthrope who enters a spelling bee.

“It’s not for everyone, the darkness in the film,” he said of his vulgar character in the movie, which has been likened to the R-rated “Bad Santa.”

As for his next project, Bateman begins “Horrible Bosses 2” in two weeks.