Adam Sandler is having a great year, because not only Hustle just received critical acclaim, but he’s working with the Safdie brothers on a Uncut Gems followed, and he just announced a Bat Mitzvah family comedy. While the actor is known for his Razzie-nominated goofy comedies, his rotten movies are increasingly rare.
But there were many times in Sandler’s career where he could have starred in more high-profile and beloved roles. The actor was one of the most bankable stars of the 1990s and 2000s, so it’s no surprise that he was offered roles by some of the greatest directors in movie history.
Max in Warranty (2004)
Collateral is one of the most gripping hitman films, as it follows silver fox assassin Vincent (Tom Cruise) who hires an oblivious taxi driver, Max (Jamie Foxx), to drive him to Los Angeles in order to assassinate all targets. It’s one of the coolest movies, there’s as much style as substance, and Cruise and Foxx give great performances. But it was almost very different. According The digital solutionbefore Foxx was cast as Max, Sandler was attached to the role, and instead of LA, it was going to be set in New York.
It wasn’t just Sandler who was set to play the role of Foxx either, as the comedy actor reportedly starred alongside Russell Crowe, who was originally attached to play Vincent. And while the location change is interesting, it’s surprising that Sandler didn’t insist that it be set in Hawaii, given that so many of his films are set there. Sandler had to kick himself for this one, as Foxx earns an Oscar nomination for the role of turning Max into one of director Michael Mann’s best characters. And, according to The Spirit of Life TVthe comedic actor turned down the film to star in the long-forgotten film Spanish too.
Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
It’s no surprise that Johnny Depp played chocolatier Willy Wonka in 2005 Charlie and the chocolate factory, as he and director Tim Burton had a decades-long working relationship. However, before it was confirmed, according to The list, there were several candidates including Jim Carrey, Nicolas Cage, Brad Pitt and Will Smith. And surprisingly high on that list was Adam Sandler.
Although it’s an odd choice, it could have worked. Sandler is great with kids and often plays the goofy protagonist in many family movies. And as much as one blames the actor for not being serious enough, he’s proven it with amazing drama movies like Uncut Gems that he has the ability to carry the most moving scenes towards the end of the family film. But with such a wide range of very different actors on this list, such as comedians, action heroes and romantic comedians, it is obvious that at this time the direction of the 2005 release was not was unclear.
Rocket Raccoon in the MCU
According Thingsin the mid-2010s, Sandler was offered the role of Rocket Raccoon in guardians of the galaxy, which ended up going to Bradley Cooper. Again, questionable choices are to blame for Sandler not playing the animated raccoon. He hijacked the role of the blockbuster in favor of a forgotten romantic comedy, Mix. The 2014 rom-com saw Sandler and Drew Barrymore on screen together for the third time, which was entertaining as always, but it doesn’t exactly compare to the comedian voicing a trigger-happy raccoon in some of the movies. most profitable of all time.
In all honesty, maybe it’s not because Sandler picks movies that he thinks he’ll be more successful based on, but because he thinks he’ll like to do more. And in that regard, the actor can’t be faulted for doing what he wants to do, but not many actors would say “no” to Kevin Feige and have no interest in joining the MCU. In the end, it worked out for the best, as Cooper owns the role entirely.
Very Bad Things (1998)
very bad things is not the most popular film in the world. In fact, few have ever heard of the criminally underrated dark comedy. The 1998 film is like a twisted version of The hangoveras it follows a group of men at a bachelor party in Las Vegas, but things go from bad to worse when they accidentally kill a stripper and have to cover their tracks.
According TV above the mind, Sandler was set to play Michael Berkow, the man who accidentally kills the stripper, but Jeremy Piven replaced the actor due to scheduling conflicts. Sandler was busy filming the comedy classic The Waterboy when production on the 1998 dark comedy was supposed to begin. However, The Guardian said differently, as director Peter Berg says that after some great rehearsal Sandler finally declined because the material was too dark for him.
Roy Miller in Knight And Day (2010)
While Sandler could have starred alongside Cruise in Collateralhe nearly played a role that eventually went to the Impossible mission actor, and this is one of his most underrated performances. The 2010 movie knight and day is an underrated romantic action-comedy about Roy Miller, a runaway CIA secret agent. According The New York TimesSandler was originally in talks to play Roy, which is hardly surprising, as it sounds like a typical rom-com with a radical concept that co-stars Drew Barrymore.
The comedian reportedly turned down the role, explaining, “I just don’t see myself with a gun,” which is respectably self-aware. However, this does not exactly explain You don’t mess with the Zohanwho sees Sandler as an IDF counterterrorism commando, but, in all fairness, quits to become a hairdresser.
Donny Donowitz in Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Few actors turned down Quentin Tarantino, as the writer-director dialogue is so good and the characters so rich. Being offered a role in a Tarantino movie is often a golden ticket, and there’s a reason the filmmaker has revitalized so many failed acting careers. But Sandler is one of the few, as he turned down the director’s offer to play Donny Donowitz, aka the Bear Jew, in Inglourious Basterds.
Comedian turned down role in order to star in Judd Apatow’s comedy-drama funny people. While it would have been great to see Sandler as a baseball-wielding Nazi hunter, it worked out for the best for both sides. While it was bombing at the box office, funny people is a surprisingly moving comedy and an in-depth look at stand-up comedy, and Eli Roth also nailed the Bear Jew.
Joey Bishop in Dino
Sadly, one of the most interesting roles Sandler almost played didn’t come to fruition with any actor in the role. Martin Scorsese has many unrealized projects, and one of them is the 90s biopic Dino, which would have followed the Rat Pack at the height of their popularity in the 1960s. VarietyTom Hanks was attached to play Dean Martin, Jim Carrey was set to play Jerry Lewis, and Sandler was on board to portray Joey Bishop.
Even ignoring the film’s premise, the idea of Scorsese and Sandler working alone together is enough to pique the interest of moviegoers. And the actor sharing the screen with Hanks and Carrey might have made the ultimate ’90s movie, but that’s a lot of big personalities for Scorsese to manage on set.
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