Netflix is staying in the Adam Sandler business
Netflix claims its members have watched two billion hours of this Hollywood star since 2015. So it’s ponying up the cash for more.
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Get ready for a lot more of The Sandman because Netflix has just shelled out big money to stay in the Adam Sandler business.
The streaming giant has extended its contract with Sandler and his Happy Madison production company for four more movies. Sandler and Netflix first inked a deal in 2014, starting with the movie The Ridiculous 6 (which earnt a rare 0 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes), before going on to sign up for a further four projects.
One of the movies that eventuated from that second deal was Murder Mystery , a Sandler and Jennifer Aniston-fronted whodunit comedy which Netflix claimed was the most watched title on its platform globally.
Netflix said Murder Mystery was watched by 83 million households in the first four weeks after its release in June.
Netflix releases few viewership numbers, and when it does it’s not authenticated by any third parties. When Netflix revealed its Murder Mystery stats, the metric it used at the time was it only counted accounts which watched 70 per cent of the title.
It has since changed its viewership metric to tally any account that watched the first two minutes of a title – a change that was widely criticised.
Netflix did not reveal a dollar figure for how much the latest Sandler deal was worth but given the popularity of Murder Mystery and Sandler content in general, it would be safe to assume it was a lucrative contract.
Sandler-produced projects rarely generate favourable critical reviews but he has mass appeal among audiences attracted to his broad and sometimes crass sense of humour. Netflix claims members have spent more than two billion hours watching Sandler titles on its platform since 2015.
Netflix has form in splashing big cash to lure proven creatives. It signed a reported $US300 million deal with Ryan Murphy, the creator of TV shows such as Glee, American Crime Story and Feud, while it recruited Grey’s Anatomy brains Shonda Rhimes for $US100 million.
Other Netflix projects that have resulted from its first two Sandler deals include The Do-Over, Sandy Wexler and his stand-up special, 100% Fresh.
This year, Netflix will release Sandler starring and produced Hubie Halloween, billed as a family movie, alongside frequent collaborators Kevin James and Rob Schneider. He also has an animated film in the works for the streamer.
Sandler is currently starring in Uncut Gems, which was released on Netflix yesterday in every territory except for the US where it premiered in cinemas last year.
Uncut Gems was directed by indie filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie and was not produced by Sandler or his production company. Sandler has won wide acclaim for his portrayal of a diamond dealer, including awards from the National Board of Review. He was a contender for an Oscar nomination but ultimately missed out.
When he has previously veered from his usual schtick and starred in other filmmakers’ movies which he did not produce – Punch Drunk Love by P.T. Anderson and The Meyerowitz Stories by Noah Baumbach – Sandler has received critical acclaim for his performances.
Originally published as Netflix is staying in the Adam Sandler business