There may be no bigger, longer partnership between talent and a streaming service than the one uniting Adam Sandler and Netflix.
After a dozen collaborations over the past decade, the July 25 release of Happy Gilmore 2 notched the biggest U.S. opening ever for a Netflix original film. By any measure, it’s an impressive launch, amassing 3.6 billion minutes over its first week on the streamer, according to Luminate Streaming Viewership (M).
But when you look back at the movies Sandler has done for Netflix in that time, it’s telling that the most successful one required making a sequel out of a box office hit from 1996. While he has drawn big audiences for his most commercial Netflix original films over the last few years, including Murder Mystery 2, Leo and Hustle, they never cracked the stratosphere Gilmore 2 reached.
When Sandler’s track record with original-film IP is stacked against other actors of his stature who have vehicles of their own on Netflix, it’s clear he’s faced some stiff competition in 2025, including Back in Action, with Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, and Nonnas, starring Vince Vaughn.
As much credit as Sandler deserves for his star power, the data shows the sway of preexisting IP may be even more key.
Note that two of the movies that did best when comparing Sandler’s CV with Netflix films led by comparable talent represented continuations of titles that had already made a name for themselves in the theatrical space — think Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, a 2024 revival of Eddie Murphy’s 1980s comedy classic, and 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which returned Daniel Craig to the Benoit Blanc role he made famous in 2019.
Luckily for Netflix, the streaming service already has a third Knives Out mystery coming in December, titled Wake Up Dead Man, that should be a strong audience draw if the franchise’s track record is any indication.
But the real power of having the kind of relationship Netflix has with Sandler lies in a hit film having a halo effect on the many original and catalog films available to viewers upon finishing a new installment.
Unsurprisingly, the original Happy Gilmore saw the greatest viewership increase in the wake of its sequel’s release. Previous Sandler/Netflix collaborations also saw a nice spike after the Gilmore sequel dropped, including Sandy Wexler and Hustle.
The ultimate test of how bright the Happy Gilmore 2 halo shines may come in December with the release of Sandler’s next movie: Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival later this month before its release to Netflix on Dec. 5.
Sandler stars opposite George Clooney in the former’s second film for Netflix with Baumbach, following The Meyerowitz Stories in 2017. But like Meyerowitz, this self-described coming-of-age film is more a showcase for Sandler’s acting chops than something in the vein of his more broadly comedic crowd-pleasers.
To stay abreast of all Sandler titles on Netflix and beyond, be sure to check the Luminate SV(M) platform for the latest data.
