Adam Sandler will star in and produce four original movies exclusively for Netflix.
Under the deal, the actor’s Happy Madison Productions will develop and produce the films with Netflix. They will become available exclusively to members of the streaming service in the 50 countries in which it operates.
The deal excludes projects that are part of the production company’s current studio film commitments.
“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’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos in a statement.
Sandler offered this humorous 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!!!!”
The actor has starred in numerous films, including “Happy Gilmore,” “Big Daddy,” “Punch-Drunk Love” and the
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“Deuce Bigelow,” “50 First Dates,” and “Anger Management” are among the many movies produced by Happy Madison. It’s also among the producers of ABC’s “The Goldbergs” and CBS’s “Rules of Engagement.”
As Sarandos inferred in his statement, this deal represents Netflix’s ability to carefully choose its partnerships with information from its members’ viewing habits. According to the streaming video service, 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.
News of this deal arrives on the heels of Tuesday’s groundbreaking announcement that Netflix and The Weinstein Company have partnered to release the “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” sequel simultaneously in theaters and on the streaming service. The first of its kind, many IMAX theater operators have vowed not to show the sequel in their theaters.
Netflix looks to simulate the success it has had with TV series such as “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black” with this push into original movies.