Adam Sandler’s career has been filled with a multitude of high points, with relatively few low-scaling valleys along the way, at least outside of harsh critical views. No matter where the comedian and skilled dramatist goes with his feature roles, however, his fanbase will always embrace any time he returns to (or even talks about returning to) the Saturday Night Live stage. It’s where he became a household name alongside co-stars he’s still working with today, and it’s where we may soon see him again, assuming he isn’t subject to having another hip surgery before the upcoming season wraps.
With his name currently bouncing around Awards Season conversations for his starring role in Netflix’s acclaimed dramedy Hustle, Sandler already seemed like a solid choice for SNL to bring into Season 48. And while on the Variety Awards Circuit podcast, he revealed that was indeed meant to be the case if not for his surgical needs. In his words:
I’d been talking to Lorne. It’s funny, I was talking about doing it earlier in the season, but I had this hip thing, so I had to wait. But maybe the second half of the season or next year or something like that.
So it already seems like it’s a tentative lock for Adam Sandler to bring his diverse talents to Saturday Night Live once more, three years after his previous return. That marked his first time taking on hosting duties within his former stomping ground, so it’s pretty awesome that we won’t have to wait nearly as long for the second instance to come around. Considering how much it wiped him out to return the last time, it’s totally understandable that it wouldn’t be possible for him to tackle it while recovering from hip surgery. Though I already expect him to have a song prepared that directly refers to him having hip surgery.
Sandler talked for a few seconds about joining the guest host annals for the first time, and how it put him right back into the mindset he had before getting fired from the show, saying:
When I did it, I did it one time, it was such a nice week. Such a good time being with everybody. My family was there. We all loved to get to know the cast. Being around Lorne was nice again, and just being around the vibe. Yeah, by the way, when the show starts, it’s just as nerve-wracking as it was when I was on the show. You’re like, ‘Oh my God, it’s happening. So let’s try to do this right.’
As it usually goes with SNL's staggered announcements, we only know a few of the Season 48 hosts and musical guests who have been confirmed so far. But stay tuned, since there's no predicting when those reveals will drop.
How Adam Sandler Feels About SNL's Current Era
Season 48 will look far different from the most recent years, with its current cast member lineup missing some familiar faces, with eight cast members vacating after the 47th season. So it's technically hard to say exactly what SNL will be like when it returns, but Sander generally had nothing but praise and kind words to say about where things are at now for the stalwart sketch series. Speaking to the unconfirmed rumors of Lorne Michaels possibly seeking out retirement following Season 50, and how the current era compared to his stint in the '90s, Sandler said:
Pretty special place. Gets cooler and cooler. I don’t see it stopping. I don’t see Lorne stopping. I don’t know — that rumor, I’ve heard it, too — why people are sure he’s gonna stop. He sounds to me like he ain’t stopping. When I talked to him, he still sounded excited about it all. But I think where it is today is tremendous. Lot of great women. Lot of great youth on that show. Just on top of a lot of things. They certainly work hard at making comedy that counts.
Lorne Michaels seems like the kind of person who won't stop working until it's physically impossible for it to happen, so I think Sandler is on the right track there. And even then, I'm sure he'll find someone to serve as the next keeper of the kingdom.
Saturday Night Live is back for Season 48, premiering on NBC on Saturday, October 1, at 11:30 p.m. ET, with episodes also streaming live with a Peacock subscription. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way soon.
