{"id":12031,"date":"2026-07-21T00:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T19:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=12031"},"modified":"2026-07-21T00:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T19:06:11","slug":"adam-sandlers-1-38-billion-franchise-is-officially-returning-but-theres-a-catch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=12031","title":{"rendered":"Adam Sandler&#8217;s $1.38 Billion Franchise Is Officially Returning, But There&#8217;s A Catch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>While one of <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/tag\/person\/adam-sandler\/\" target=\"_blank\">Adam Sandler<\/a>\u2019s biggest franchises is coming back in 2027, it is not yet clear whether the star himself will return for the latest outing of the iconic series. When the phrase \u201cBankable movie star\u201d comes up in conversation, there are a few A-list icons who inevitably warrant a mention. Will Smith has historically been one of Hollywood\u2019s most reliable hitmakers, as has Tom Cruise, while Margot Robbie\u2019s success in the last decade has singled her out in box office history.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>While all of these stars might have a few flops, from Cruise\u2019s failed <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/lee-cronins-the-mummy-redeem-franchise-trending-hbo-max\/\" target=\"_blank\">reboot of <em>The Mummy <\/em>movies<\/a> to Robbie\u2019s 2022 Oscar-hopeful <em>Babylon<\/em>, their consistent popularity overrides these wobbles. Brad Pitt is one of the few stars who could release <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/world-war-z-paramount-plus-streaming-hit-aged-well\/\" target=\"_blank\">a $540 million horror movie<\/a>, so the fact that he, too, starred in <em>Babylon<\/em> isn\u2019t as big a concern as it would be for a smaller emerging star. However, one name that rarely comes up in these conversations, even though it should, is Adam Sandler.<\/p>\n<p>The Hollywood funnyman first rose to prominence with a string of critically hated but commercially successful cult classic comedies in the &#8217;90s, including Billy Madison, <em>Happy Gilmore<\/em>, and <em>The Waterboy<\/em>. The 2000s saw Sandler branch out into acclaimed dramas like <em>Punch-Drunk Love<\/em> while becoming an even bigger box office draw with hit comedies like <em>Mr. Deeds<\/em>, <em>50 First Dates<\/em>, <em>Click<\/em>, and I<em> Now Pronounce You Chuck &amp; Larry<\/em>. However, it was the 2010s that gave Sandler his biggest box office successes with the <em>Grown Ups<\/em> and <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/db\/movie\/hotel-transylvania\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em><strong>Hotel Transylvania<\/strong><\/em><\/a> franchises.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-hotel-transylvania-quietly-became-an-animated-juggernaut\">\n                        How Hotel Transylvania Quietly Became An Animated Juggernaut<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:50%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\"\/><img width=\"825\" height=\"413\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dracula hugging someone in Hotel Transylvania\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/hotel-transylvania-2012-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Dracula hugging someone in Hotel Transylvania<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>While the former was a gross-out family comedy that earned $272 million globally, the latter was an animated children\u2019s movie that proved a truly massive breakout hit for Sandler. 2012\u2019s original <em>Hotel Transylvania<\/em> earned a whopping $358 million while its 2015 sequel, <em>Hotel Transylvania 2<\/em>, outdid this with an even bigger take of $474 million. 2017\u2019s third movie, <em>Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation<\/em>, is Samberg\u2019s biggest box office hit to date, with a staggering $528 million.<\/p>\n<p>Although this billion-dollar franchise made Adam Sandler <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/highest-paid-actors-movie-star-salaries-all-time\/\" target=\"_blank\">one of Hollywood\u2019s best-paid actors ever<\/a>, the star made the intriguing choice to bow out of the fourth installment in the series, 2022\u2019s <em>Hotel Transylvania: Transformania<\/em>. Although fellow A-listers Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg returned as the daughter of Sandler\u2019s Count Dracula and her love interest, respectively, Sandler himself was replaced by the soundalike Brian Hull.<\/p>\n<p>While there is now a fifth movie, titled <em>The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania<\/em>, scheduled for release in October 2027, it is not yet clear if Sandler will return to the role after sitting out the last movie. Currently, the only upcoming projects listed on the star\u2019s IMDb page are <em>Grown Ups 3<\/em>, an untitled Safdie Brothers movie, and <em>Time Out<\/em>, a remake of the 2001 French thriller of the same name by<em> <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/springsteen-deliver-me-from-nowhere-box-office-failure-streaming-success-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\">Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/springsteen-deliver-me-from-nowhere-box-office-failure-streaming-success-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\"> director<\/a> Scott Cooper.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"adam-sandler-rsquo-s-hotel-transylvania-franchise-exit-didn-rsquo-t-hurt-the-series-yet\">\n                        Adam Sandler\u2019s Hotel Transylvania Franchise Exit Didn\u2019t Hurt The Series (Yet)<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:50%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"826\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Drac talks to Mavis while holding her hands in Hotel Transylvania\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/drac_talks_to_mavis_in_hotel_transylvania.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Drac talks to Mavis in Hotel Transylvania<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Sandler\u2019s absence from<em> Hotel Transylvania: Transformania <\/em>was explained via scheduling conflicts, as the actor had a lot of Netflix movies and shows in the works around 2022. It is tough to tell whether the movie\u2019s performance was hurt by the star\u2019s absence, as its planned theatrical release was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the sequel instead became the first of the series to be released on Prime Video.<\/p>\n<p>As such, <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/hotel-transylvania-5-confirmed-release-date-story-details\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hotel Transylvania 5\u2019<\/em>s performance<\/a> will tell a tale. If the sequel fails to bring back Sandler, it might struggle to reach the career-high financial success of 2017\u2019s <em>Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation<\/em>, the last and biggest theatrical release in the franchise. However, if the fifth movie in the <em><strong>Hotel Transylvania<\/strong><\/em> franchise earns a theatrical release and proves a hit, this could be seen as evidence that Sandler himself was never the franchise\u2019s main draw.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card type-screen large\" data-show-streamrentbuy-links=\"true\" data-include-community-rating=\"true\" id=\"9ae6-4d67-a65df2e3528f\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content\">\n<div class=\"display-card-content image-column\">\n<p>                        <!--    Rating block community and brand ratings --><br \/>\n                        <!--  Image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-img \" data-stnl-group-once=\"fTTJjrjJW8\">\n<div class=\"body-img portrait \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  img-article-square\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"480\" height=\"720\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=1\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ejgvzgrsfe2sqtupv5iwlwxjvur.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=1\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <!-- User Rating widget --><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"display-card-content info-column\">\n                                                                                                                            <!--  Display card tags widget --><\/p>\n<p>                                                <!--  Display card community and brand rating widget --><br \/>\n                                                                <!--  Display card main info widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info main-info\">\n<dl>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Release Date<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSeptember 20, 2012<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Runtime<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t91 minutes<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Director<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGenndy Tartakovsky<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<\/dl><\/div>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card main info widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!--  Display card media widget start --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card media widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Cast widget start --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- Cast widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to watch button preview --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to watch preview end --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <!-- Extra content section, display hidden by default --><br \/>\n            <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"extra-content-9ae6-4d67-a65df2e3528f\" name=\"extra-content-9ae6-4d67-a65df2e3528f\" class=\"expand-extra-info-checkbox css-menu-checkbox\"\/> <!-- Checkbox: control the expandable behavior  of the extra info --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Display card footer --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- PROS and CONS section --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While one of Adam Sandler\u2019s biggest franchises is coming back in 2027, it is not yet clear whether the star himself will return for the latest outing of the iconic series. When the phrase \u201cBankable movie star\u201d comes up in conversation, there are a few A-list icons who inevitably warrant a mention. Will Smith has&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/adam-sandler-and-jennifer-aniston-in-murder-mystery-2019.jpeg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12031\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}