Following word that Netflix was set to debut their first original movie in the form of a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon followup, the streaming video service has announced that they're set to make four original feature films with Adam Sandler.
Netflix, the world’s leading Internet TV network, will be the exclusive home of four feature films starring and produced by comic icon Adam Sandler, whose movies have delighted hundreds of millions of fans all over the world.
According to Netflix's announcement on the deal, Netflix will work alongside Sandler's Happy Madison Productions to make these four films, which will be available exclusively to members in the nearly 50 countries where Netflix operates. Netflix notes that "current studio film commitments are not included in this deal."
We've seen Netflix give TV a run for its money with a number of well-worth-watching original series, including House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey, and prison-set dramedy Orange is the New Black. Now it seems the streaming video service has set its sights on the big screen... ish. Earlier this week, Netflix announced plans to release Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend, which will be available through the streaming service and in select IMAX theaters. It seemed highly unlikely that their first effort at original films would be their last, I'm not sure we would have guessed that such a big announcement would be following so soon after that news.
As for what Sandler had to say about the deal, Billy Madison would probably appreciate his statement:
"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. Let the streaming begin!!!!"
Happy Madison Productions has given us a number of films, going all the way back to Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Little Nicky, Joe Dirt and Mr. Deeds. Among the production company's more recent offerings, there's Jack and Jill, Blended and the Grown Ups films. Not all of Happy Madison's films starred Adam Sandler, but from the sound of it, the four movies Netflix has lined up will.
As a big fan of Adam Sandler going all the way back to his Saturday Night Live days, I'm not unwilling to admit that I haven't loved all of his (or Happy Madison's) movies. But I'm ever the optimist when it comes to Sandler's work and that applies here. What's more, it's going to be very interesting to see how this plays out and what kind of impact this deal makes on the film industry.
Netflix currently has a handful of films featuring Adam Sandler in their streaming catalog, including Airheads and Click. It'll be interesting to see if that selection expands in the wake of this new deal.
