Adam Sandler Signs Exclusive, Four-Movie Deal With Netflix
Just days after Netflix announced that its first foray into the world of original films would begin next year with a sequel to Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes news of four more original movies in Netflix's queue.
Adam Sandler has signed a deal to produce and star in four original feature films that will stream exclusively on Netflix. The official press release helps us to understand a bit why this decision makes so much sense for Netflix: "Sandler is among the few actors in the world whose films consistently rank among the most viewed by Netflix members in the U.S. and across its global territories from Brazil to the U.K.," the release reads. Yet even if he didn't have a single movie on Netflix, there would still be money in getting Sandler on-board, since his movies have grossed over $3 billion (BILLION! WITH A B! Seriously, that blows my mind) worldwide at the box office.
“People love Adam’s films on Netflix and often watch them again and again. His appeal spans across viewers of all ages -- everybody has a favorite movie, everyone has a favorite line -- not just in the US but all over the world,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.
“When these fine people came to me with an offer to make four movies for them, I immediately said yes for one reason and one reason only….Netflix rhymes with Wet Chicks,” added Sandler. “Let the streaming begin!!!!”
Under the deal announced today, Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions will work alongside Netflix to develop the four films and to premiere them exclusively to members in the nearly 50 countries where Netflix operates. Current studio film commitments are not included in this deal.
No word on when these films are expected to begin development, but it's looking like Netflix is trying to become more than a film content provider. It's becoming an outright content creator at this point. Between the success of House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, it's possible Netflix could actually succeed in feature films, despite how irritated major film studios appear to be by all this, since the day-and-date release model cuts into theatrical profits. Granted, TV and films are two entirely different monsters, so success in one model of content production doesn't necessarily guarantee success in the other. However, I wouldn't put it past a giant like Netflix to find a way to make this work.
Credit: Universal Pictures /
Columbia Pictures