With ‘Happy Gilmore 2,’ Netflix Has Robbed Us of a Major Theatrical Experience — Again

Adam Sandler is a lot smarter than he is given credit for, as he made one of the saviest moves in modern entertainment when he signed a deal with Netflix to make original films back in 2014. While at the time it may have seemed like Sandler was being desperate to cling on to relevance, Sandler recognized that streaming was the way of the future, and managed to convert his audience of loyal fans into Netflix subscribers. The last decade has been surprisingly successful for Sandler, as he has both gained massive viewership for his comedies and earned critical praise for his more serious work in Uncut Gems, The Meyerowitz Stories, and Hustle. Unfortunately, Netflix has prevented Sandler’s fans from getting to see his films on the big screen.

Netflix has refused to budge when it comes to theatrically releasing its films, as it has only offered limited engagement events for awards contenders, such as All Quiet On The Western Front or The Irishman. While Sandler has been able to keep working with the same creative team and key collaborators on his Netflix films, it puts him at a greater distance from the audience of fans and families that celebrate going to see his work as a major event. Denying Sandler the chance to make comedy blockbusters isn’t just disrespectful to his legacy, but a serious blow to the theatrical market.

Adam Sandler Was One of the Last Comedic Movie Stars

Sandler was one of the few movie stars who could sell a film based solely on his involvement, which means that he belongs to a surprisingly rare group; even if celebrities like George Clooney and Robert Pattinson receive a lot of media attention, that doesn’t mean that all of their films are financial successes. Sandler was able to regularly earn respectable box office returns for his films, even if they were as critically derided as Grown Ups or Jack and Jill. Regardless of their quality, the success Sandler earned helped to spread the message that comedies were best enjoyed on the big screen, as a film didn’t need to be a major IMAX release in order to be “worthy” of getting theatrical distribution. In fact, the communal experience of watching a film with an audience is more important for a comedy than virtually any other genre; it’s specifically key for Sandler, who has been a star since the 1990s, and thus has multiple generations of fans that adore him.

Many of Sandler’s contemporaries have not held on to their audiences in the same way that he has, as the market for comedic stars has grown surprisingly stale. Actors like SteveCarell and Jonah Hill have been doing more dramatic work, Ben Stiller has mostly transitioned to being a director, Jack Black has had to star in franchise films like A Minecraft Movie and the upcoming Anaconda to stay relevant, and Paul Rudd seems to appear in only small, independent films or installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, comedians like David Spade, Kevin James, and Rob Schneider have only managed to remain in the public consciousness thanks to their involvement with Sandler. While Sandler would have had the opportunity to turn around this trajectory had his films still been released in theaters, it is easier to take them for granted when they are only available on streaming. It has been admirable that Netflix has amped up its marketing efforts for Happy Gilmore 2, it is rare that the streamer puts any significant advertising campaigns into their new releases.

Movie Theaters Need Blockbuster Comedies

Comedy hits have become increasingly rare, as it was among the first genres to be pivoted to streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic; the ramifications have become clear, as audiences are now less enthused to see new comedy films on the big screen, as they have already been taught that they can be enjoyed at home. It’s not an issue of quality, as the 2020s have seen the release of critically acclaimed comedies like The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, No Hard Feelings, and Joy Ride, which still underperformed financially. There may be no better advocate for the merits of comedy than Sandler, who still remains as popular as ever. Given how successful Sandler’s national stand-up tour has been, it’s reasonable to believe that he could still inspire an audience to see his films on the big screen.

Netflix has the opportunity to take advantage of an ongoing reclamation of Sandler’s body of work, as many of his early films that were initially trashed by critics have been reclaimed as comedy classics by those who grew up with them. Even if critics like Roger Ebert criticized Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, and Big Daddy, they have stood the test of time and been shared with new audiences thanks to their popularity on streaming. At the same time, Sandler’s prominence as a dramatic performer has earned him even more respect from the industry at large; he received some of the best reviews of his career for Uncut Gems, earned a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Hustle, and is considered to be a major Oscar contender for the upcoming Noah Baumbach film Jay Kelly. Sandler may not need anything but Netflix to be a cultural icon, but his fans and the industry at large would benefit from his return to theaters.

Happy Gilmore 2 is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.