Murder Mystery 2 writer, James Vanderbilt, praises Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston’s chemistry. Starring Sandler and Aniston, Murder Mystery is one of several Sandler-produced films available exclusively on Netflix. Set in the same vein of a whodunnit mystery like Clue or Knives Out, Murder Mystery debuted in June of 2019 and set a new streaming record for Netflix’s original movies.
Directed by Kyle Newacheck, Murder Mystery follows Nick (Sandler) and Audrey (Aniston), a married couple who embark on a European vacation in an attempt to rekindle the spark in their relationship. Co-starring Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, and Terence Stamp, Murder Mystery takes a comedic and chaotic turn of events when Audrey and Nick are framed for a mysterious murder on a yacht and must unravel the clues to solve the crime. The movie surpassed almost 31 million views in three days, and last September, Netflix announced that Sandler and Aniston would officially return for Murder Mystery 2.
Speaking with Screen Rant, Vanderbilt says Sandler and Aniston are incredible to work with and praises their onscreen chemistry. Revealing that he penned Murder Mystery as a love letter to his wife, Vanderbilt says he was excited for the chance to write a screenplay that is “pure fun comedy.” Vanderbilt reveals that he was happy to feature Sandler and Aniston’s married couple in a new chapter and boasts that the film is “really good.” Read Vanderbilt's full comment from Screen Rant's interview below:
Adam [Sandler] and Jen [Aniston] are incredible and they just have such great chemistry. It's so much fun to be able to make a movie like that. A lot of the things I've done have been more serious, or action-y, or what have you. So just a pure fun comedy, that was something I was really excited to do. I've been married for 16 years now and when I wrote the first one, and this one, it was really sort of a love letter to my wife. Romantic stories are always about a couple meeting for the first time or about a couple about to break up at the end. You always see the beginning and the end of a relationship, you never see the middle with a couple that really loves each other and that was sort of, behind all of the jokes and the wackiness and stuff, the idea for Murder Mystery that I had. And so I love that we got to make that movie and the people responded to it, and we get to do it again.
Directed by Jeremy Garelick, Murder Mystery 2 has already begun filming. Recently, Sandler and Aniston were seen on the set for Mystery Mystery 2 in Oahu, Hawaii, although it's unclear where the sequel film takes place. At this time, plot details and the release date for Murder Mystery 2 remain under wraps. However, it can be expected that Sandler and Aniston's dynamic duo will be faced with a new level of sleuthing and detective work in the sequel.
Murder Mystery ended on a cautiously closed note, and the film’s star power, easily digestible plot, and high ratings paved the way for the sequel - possibly even a trilogy - featuring Sandler and Aniston’s married couple. Indeed, Murder Mystery delivered the perfect, breezy watch and left audiences wanting more. For now, audiences can look forward to Sandler and Aniston’s potent chemistry being featured on the small screen once more in Murder Mystery 2.