While Adam Sandler first made a name for himself on SNL, and his comedy movies certainly hit well with fans, the talented actor has gotten more versatile in his roles. He was convinced to take on a more serious role in Uncut Gems and his latest Netflix movie, Spaceman. As multi-talented as Sandler is, the 50 First Dates actor gives a funny take on why delving into the superhero genre would be “awful” for him.
Adam Sandler was once eyed for the role of Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy, as was Jim Carrey. But as we know, the anthropomorphic raccoon was ultimately voiced by Bradley Cooper. During Sandler’s interview with Looper when he thought about whether or not he’d be a good fit for a superhero movie, he gave a mixed answer. While the Happy Gilmore actor initially gave an “Oh, man, yes!” he changed his mind at the hilarious thought of him wearing spandex:
It's just due to me wearing anything tight on the body [that's] going to be awful for everybody.
That’s definitely a hilarious reason to say “no” to the spandex. After all, not everyone dreams of wearing second skin, even if it is to fight crime. I can understand the idea of wearing a tight costume not hitting well with everyone. While superhero movie costumes are cool to look at, the actors wearing them often find them unbearable to wear. For example, Tobey Maguire found his Spidey suit uncomfortable to put on, and Shazam!’s Zachary Levi previously explained his discomfort wearing spandex during bathroom breaks. So this is all the more reason why Adam Sandler is lucky not to have to don any tight superhero suits going forward.
As the superhero genre tries to appeal to a widespan audience, it makes sense why movie studios pick comedy actors. Even Seth Rogan admits Marvel movies are changing comedy by having superhero films fit into the genre. Actors like Ant-Man’s Paul Rudd, Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt and Deadpool’s Ryan Reynolds bring natural charm and comedic timing that lightens the movie’s tone and make the characters more entertaining. The same can be said for when comedians play villains like Sonic the Hedgehog’s Jim Carrey and Batman Returns’ Danny DeVito. They keep our attention and add unpredictability to the villainous characters.
The closest we’ve gone to Adam Sandler in a superhero movie would be seeing him play an Israeli commando hairdresser with superhuman skills in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. While it would be interesting to see the Punch-Drunk Love star play a superhero, I feel like I can see him more as an entertaining villain. The comedic leading man has been known to play characters with a short fuse. Plus, I still have Sandler’s stellar performance of Uncut Gems in my head. While you can’t necessarily call his character Howard Ratner a villain, we got to see Sandler portray a jeweler who makes morally questionable actions as his gambling addiction worsens. As a villain, I’d love to see the Anger Management star continue to show his range balancing dark humor with danger.
So the idea of wearing a tight spandex suit in a superhero movie doesn’t exactly sound appealing to Adam Sandler. But even if the Golden Globe nominee can’t picture himself in a major superhero franchise at Marvel or DC, I’d still like to see him in a satirical film of the genre similar to Kick-Ass or a Hancock-type film. Keep up with our upcoming superhero movies just in case Sandler changes his mind again about sporting spandex.
