There are few actors in the film industry as well-loved by audiences as Adam Sandler. Over the years, he has grown in popularity through his comedy films and the relatable characters he portrays in them, building a huge fan base worldwide that eagerly awaits each and every one of his releases. Since his early days in the industry, working on Saturday Night Live or in films such as Airheads and Billy Madison, Sandler established himself as a very prominent figure in the comedy genre, and has remained so until this day, not only starring, but also serving as producer and writer on several films.
Despite the tremendous success Sandler had and still has with audiences, a very different thing happens with critics: while the vast majority of his films became absolute blockbusters, many failed to be met with good reviews. Over the years, critics have bashed his movies for being unoriginal, too predictable, or lacking in content, although audiences seem to love them regardless.
Sandler’s status with critics changed tremendously after his starring role in the 2019 crime thriller film Uncut Gems, a part which demonstrated his brilliant skills as a dramatic actor and led to a new chapter in his career. Still, comedy continues to hold a special place in this actor’s life, so it is quite expected that, in the near future, he will keep treating the audience to more of his amusing films while astonishing the world with this new facet as a dramatic actor.
Here is a list of Adam Sandler’s 10 highest-grossing films so far.
10
‘Just Go With It’ (2011)
$215 Million
Just Go With It was the first production co-starring Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, a successful duo that would be back on-screen in 2019 for the Netflix movie Murder Mystery and its sequel. This 2011 rom-com follows Danny, a successful plastic surgeon who pretends to be in an unhappy marriage in order to get dates without having to get overly involved. However, this strategy fails when he meets Palmer, a young woman who quickly sweeps him off his feet, but is reluctant to date him as long as he is married.
Sandler & Aniston Are a Dynamic Hollywood Duo
To overcome this lie, Danny makes up an even bigger one, and together with his friend and assistant Katherine, he pretends that he is about to get divorced. But one thing leads to another, and as the charade continues to grow, it all concludes with a trip to Hawaii that proves to be a turning point in everyone’s lives. Nicole Kidman, Nick Swardson, Brooklyn Decker, Bailee Madison, and Griffin Gluck support the lead actors in this film that won over audiences, but earned poor reviews.
9
‘Bedtime Stories’ (2008)
$221 Million
Bedtime Stories marked Sandler’s first role in a film aimed specifically at a family audience. It was directed by Adam Shankman and starred Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Courteney Cox, and Russell Brand, among many other actors. This 2008 film features Skeeter, a hotel handyman who has devoted his entire life to training to become the manager of the family hotel, but his dreams are shattered when the hotel is sold and someone else is put in charge.
Sandler Ventures into Family-Friendly Territory
One night, while in the care of his niece and nephew, Skeeter discovers that the bedtime stories he tells them come true the following day, an incredible thing that he uses to pursue his aspirations, although the details that the kids add to the stories will stop his plans from working out the way he wants them to. Despite an unsurprisingly lackluster response from critics, Bedtime Stories still became a box office smash and fared well with fans, nabbing a solid B+ CinemaScore from audiences and raking in over $220 million worldwide.
8
‘Big Daddy’ (1999)
$234.8 Million
The 1999 comedy-drama Big Daddy is one of Sandler’s most popular films and, for many, regarded as one of his finest performances ever. In it, he plays Sonny, a 30-year-old who, in spite of aging, continues to run from the responsibilities of adulthood, something that causes his girlfriend to break up with him. But when a five-year-old boy shows up at his door claiming to be his roommate’s son, Sonny seizes the chance to adopt him and prove to everyone that he can be mature when he sets his mind to it, unaware that this decision is about to change his life completely.
‘Big Daddy’ Sets Records For Sandler
Big Daddy was directed by Dennis Dugan and, besides Sandler, features Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Leslie Mann and Dyan and Cole Sprouse. The fan-favorite film marked yet another big screen hit for Sandler, who dominated the ’90s with his signature brand of humor and shenanigans and became one of Hollywood’s reigning comedy kings. Big Daddy marked the biggest opening weekend for a Sandler film (surpassing The Waterboy) and grossed nearly $235 million worldwide, becoming the actor’s highest-grossing film domestically until it was surpassed by Hotel Transylvania 2 in 2015.
7
‘Click’ (2006)
$268.7 Million
Who wouldn’t want to have a remote control to alter reality at their convenience? That’s exactly what Michael Newman mistakenly acquires instead of the simple universal remote control he was looking for. Soon, this workaholic architect finds a way to capitalize on his new acquisition, although irresponsible use may have irreversible consequences that could ruin his life.
A Fantasy Filled with Humor & Heart
Click is a 2006 film directed by Frank Coraci and starring Sandler, who also serves as producer. Joining him in the cast are Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler, Julie Kavner, and Sean Astin. The entertaining fantasy won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Movie and even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup, with Newsweek declaring that despite its predictable moral story, Click was “unusually dark, occasionally touching and pretty funny” for a Sandler film.
6
‘Pixels’ (2015)
$244.9 Million
In 1982, a time capsule was launched into space hoping to make contact with other forms of extraterrestrial life. In it, samples of the world’s culture are included, such as a few of the most popular video games of the time. Unfortunately, the aliens misinterpret the message as a declaration of war, and attack the Earth using advanced technology that enables them to shape-shift into the characters of video games. The planet’s only hope lies with a group of adults that, many years ago, became video game champions.
A Nostalgia-Fueled Adventure
Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad and Brian Cox star in Pixels, directed by Chris Columbus that performed poorly with critics, but brilliantly at the box-office. Moviegoers enjoyed the nostalgia of the comedy and how it winningly paid homage to beloved arcade games of the ’80s like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Space Invaders, and despite its lackluster critical response, Pixels did earn praise for its fun special effects and supporting cast performances.
5
‘Grown Ups 2’ (2013)
$247 Million
The 2010 film Grown Ups was a total flop with critics, but an absolute hit with audiences. As a result, a sequel, Grown Ups 2, was released in 2013, with the original cast reprising their roles and Dennis Dugan once again at the helm. After reuniting with his childhood friends in the first film, Lenny decides to move back to his hometown with his family in order to improve their lives and be closer to his loved ones. In this new stage of his life, he and his friends will go on the most bizarre adventures, reconnecting with old enemies and meeting some new ones as well.
Sandler Lets Loose with His Longtime Pals
Say what you want about Sandler and his distinct brand of comedy, but there’s no denying he’s out there having the time of his life making movies and often does so with his real-life buddies, as proven by the financial success of both Grown Ups and its 2013 sequel. Watching Sandler and his rowdy gang engage in wild shenanigans and cause side-splitting chaos was fun for fans of the comedian (even if critics felt the complete opposite), and it’s not surprising that, since both movies were box office hits, a threequel may soon follow suit.
4
‘Grown Ups’ (2010)
$272.2 Million
Many of the friendships we forge as children fade as the years go by, no matter how strong these bonds may seem at the time. This is what happened to Lenny, Eric, Kurt, Marcus and Rob, five childhood friends who met playing basketball and stopped seeing each other in 1978. 30 years later, their coach’s passing brings them back together and, to bid him a final farewell, they rent the old lake house and set out to spend a weekend with all their families trying to relive the good old days.
‘Grown Ups’ Makes Some Major Movie Magic
Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider star in Grown Ups, a Dennis Dugan comedy released in 2010 that, despite becoming one of the worst reviewed films of all involved, completely won over audiences. Upon its release, the comedy went on to gross $272.2 million worldwide and surpassed Click to become Sandler’s highest-grossing film worldwide at the time; to celebrate the career milestone, the funny man bought his four co-stars brand-new Maserati sports cars as a way to show his appreciation.
3
‘Hotel Transylvania’ (2012)
$358.4 Million
The overwhelming success of Hotel Transylvania back in 2012 kicked off a wildly popular franchise that to this day spans four films, a TV series, and several short films. This production marked Genndy Tartakovsky’s directorial debut and featured a voice cast starring Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, David Spade and Fran Drescher.
‘Hotel Transylvania’ Kickstarts a Lucrative Franchise
Hotel Transylvania introduces Count Dracula, the owner of a luxurious hotel where only monsters are allowed. But in the midst of his daughter Mavis’ 118th birthday celebration, an unexpected visitor arrives: Jonathan, a human traveler. Realizing that the future of his hotel may be jeopardized by this visit, Drac must act quickly to get rid of Jonathan and, moreover, to avoid his relationship with his daughter at all costs. The movie was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and was a hit with audiences, receiving a stellar A- CinemaScore from fans.
2
‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ (2015)
$474.8 Million
The first Hotel Transylvania sequel was released in 2015 and, again, featured Genndy Tartakovsky and the entire voice cast from the original film. In this new installment, much has changed at the prestigious Hotel Transylvania: it is now a place fit for monsters and humans. Drac and Mavis still live there, but now she is married to Johnny, and they have a little boy named Dennis, who doesn’t seem to have any vampiric abilities.
The Sequel Surpasses the Original at the Box Office
Worried about this situation, Drac recruits all his friends behind his daughter’s back, and they subject the boy to an intensive training program to bring out his monstrous side. While Hotel Transylvania 2 failed to earn as many positive reviews as the original film, it did manage to surpass it considerably at the box office, raking in $474.8 million worldwide. The entertaining flick also set a record on its opening weekend and grossed $48.5 million, marking the highest opening for a Sony Pictures Animation Film at the time and becoming the studio’s biggest earner until its 2018 sequel.
1
‘Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation’ (2018)
$528.6 Million
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is the latest film in the franchise featuring Sandler as Count Dracula, and also its highest-grossing entry to date. This 2018 film is also the last one in the franchise directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, as the fourth sequel has Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska filling his shoes.
‘Hotel Transylvania 3’ Doesn’t Lose Steam with Fans
In this installment, the now-loved monsters go on vacation to an exclusive cruise ship, a trip that Mavis treats her father to as she thinks he’s overly stressed about his job. As soon as he sets foot on the ship, Dracula falls completely in love with Ericka, its human captain, unaware that this young woman is actually related to his arch-nemesis, who is much closer than he thinks. Joining the original cast in this production are Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, Joe Jonas, Chrissy Teigen, and Joe Whyte, all of whom helped bring fresh energy to the popular franchise and help it become Sandler’s most profitable film of his career so far.
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