I don’t usually indulge in the vicious group bashing of maligned celebrities, but I don’t have a single iota of interest in anything Adam Sandler has made since Punch Drunk Love. Seeing the trailers for Click or Jack and Jill was akin to reading a menu and suddenly seeing “Fermented Conger Eels” on the page. The only appropriate response for me was an immediate “no”. I’m sure there are plenty of people who would love eating fermented conger eels, just as I’m sure there are plenty of people who like seeing Adam Sandler films. His recent box office performance would certainly support the back half of that theory. So I’m sure Netflix sees their four-picture deal with Adam Sandler as a win.
Sandler will be producing and starring in four films that will be available exclusively on Netflix, the earliest of which could arrive next year. You might not see this as a win for you, but look at it this way: someone at Netflix thinks that Adam Sandler movies don’t belong in theaters. I couldn’t agree more.
Netflix seems to have taken on the role of pot-stirrer in the movie business this week. They’ve drawn ire from theater chains over their exclusive deal with The Weinstein Company’s upcoming Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel. Several major chains are now vowing not to show the IMAX version of the film. Welp, guess I’ll just sit at home and watch Netflix that weekend.
Things at Netflix are moving swiftly and aggressively toward a new business model. They’ve already made large, successful strides in television, stand-up comedy, and documentaries. Now they’re setting their sights on the mainstream movie business. This should get interesting.