Two upcoming Netflix movies could break an annoying career trend for Adam Sandler. Sandler has two upcoming movies for Netflix - Hustle, and Spaceman - and both will feature the actor in more serious roles. Despite having made his name in a number of goofy comedies in the '90s (and having made a few career missteps since), Adam Sandler is one of the most successful movie stars working today. Plus, with a huge deal with Netflix to make exclusive content for the streaming giant, it seems that Sandler will continue raking in the cash for years to come.
So far, Adam Sandler's Netflix movies have been bad, but his two upcoming releases for the streaming platform both have the potential to do great things for the actor's career. Hustle, a sports drama in which Sandler plays a washed-up former basketball scout, has the potential to be an uplifting story with a number of huge celebrity cameos. Spaceman is a sci-fi film in which Sandler will star as an astronaut named Jakub, and it's already being tipped as Sandler's next chance for an Oscar nomination after he was snubbed for his role in Uncut Gems.
Hustle and Spaceman will both be released this year, which could well fix one of Sandler's most damaging career trends by having two back-to-back serious roles. Adam Sandler's career is so often underrated because of his propensity for working on films that are routinely critically panned (Jack & Jill, The Ridiculous 6, and The Wrong Missy, to name a few). However, by working on more serious films, Sandler could fix one of his worst career habits.
Sandler's no stranger to critical praise. Most recently, he starred in the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems as New York jeweler and gambling addict Harold Ratner, delivering a staggeringly tense performance that won over many of his most vocal detractors. He's also received praise for his work in other films, such as Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love. Acting is something that he can do remarkably well, but somehow Sandler keeps falling into the same career trap.
Between every one of Sandler's critically acclaimed performances, he makes a handful of lesser films (and usually at least one utter dud). This leaves his audience's perception of him confused at best, and makes him seem like an unreliable talent. While this isn't at all true, it hurts Sandler's image, which seemingly makes him a risky casting choice for more serious films. However, every time Sandler is cast in a dramatic role, he nails it - it's simply a question of achieving a greater level of consistency.
That's something that Hustle and Spaceman could well fix. By having two more serious leading roles in a shorter space of time, Sandler will likely swing critical opinion back in his favor. In fact, with there already being speculation about Spaceman earning Sandler an Oscar, it's possible that 2022 is the year that the actor finally gets the praise he deserves. Whether or not Adam Sandler will stop making bad comedies, his upcoming Netflix movies certainly seem like a step in the right direction.