The Top 15 Adam Sandler Films At The North American Box Office

By Gavin Crisp. 9 Sep 2016 6:55 AM

Adam Sandler is turning 50 today, so we decided to look at top 50 films of his career. Then we realized he hasn’t been in 50 films so we limited it to 15 because the two numbers sound alike. The following list identifies his top 15 films at the North American box office — films that, good or not-so-good — earned their studios a lot of money. These totals are gross, much like Sandler’s films.

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12. 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry' (2007)

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15. 'You Don't Mess With The Zohan' (2008)
2008
Lifetime Gross: $100,018,837

Theatres: 3,466

Co-written by Sandler, Robert Smigel (of ‘SNL’ and ‘Conan O’Brien’ fame), and soon-to-be Hollywood titan Judd Apatow, ‘Don’t Mess With The Zohan’ had the world asking, “What’s a Zohan?” Once that was cleared up, audiences could concentrate (or not) on the sight gags and over-the-top accents in a film that played its own part in trying to ease tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
14. 'Just Go With It' (2011)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $103,028,109

Theatres: 3,548

One of the more recent films in the top 15, ‘Just Go With It’ began life as a French comedy. Then it was made into a Broadway play. Then it was made into a movie starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and Goldie Hawn in 1952. Then it was made into this film, with Jennifer Aniston playing Sandler’s loyal assistant, who is coerced into playing his soon-to-be ex-wife to cover up a lie Sandler tells his much younger girlfriend.
13. 'Bedtime Stories' (2008)
BV
Lifetime Gross: $110,101,975

Theatres: 3,684

Another film that, like ‘Click’, revolved around a fantastical, “what if” premise. ‘Bedtime Stories’ was released in 2008, several months after ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’, the film that introduced North American audiences to Russell Brand. As in that film, Brand stole every scene he was in.
12. 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry' (2007)
Universal
Lifetime Gross: $120,059,556

Theatres: 3,501

Another Sandler-James joint, ‘Chuck & Larry’ is also the third film in which Sandler stars with fellow SNL alum Dan Aykroyd (the other two being 1993’s ‘Coneheads’ and 2004’s ’50 First Dates’)
11. '50 First Dates' (2004)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $120,908,074

Theatres: 3,612

’50 First Dates’ reunited Sandler with Drew Barrymore, intent on rekindling the chemistry that was clearly on display in their earlier collaboration, ‘The Wedding Singer’. To digress slightly, that film – considered by many to be Sandler’s best comedy – ranks 16.
10. 'Mr. Deeds' (2010)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $126,293,452

Theatres: 3,239

Sandler mined familiar territory with another remake, this time bringing Frank Capra’s ‘Mr. Deeds Goes To Town’ – the story of a naïve small-towner inheriting billions -- into the 21st century.
9. 'Grown Ups 2' (2013)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $133,668,525

Theatres: 3,491

Adam and the gang had so much fun making the first film, they did it again.
8. 'Anger Management' (2003)
Sony Revolution
Lifetime Gross: $135,645,823

Theatres: 3,656

A film about anger management? Seemed like a perfect fit for Sandler, whose funniest deliveries come when rage takes over and he transitions from inside voice to outside voice instantaneously. Add in an Oscar winner in Jack Nicholson and you have the ingredients for a top-notch comedy, right?
7. 'Click' (2006)
Sony Revolution
Lifetime Gross: $137,355,633

Theatres: 3,764

With an interesting premise, ‘Click’ is a fun movie with heavier themes than some of Sandler's other movies. (But don't worry... the fart jokes are still in tact.)
6. 'Hotel Transylvania' (2012)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $148,313,048

Theatres: 3,375

Even more ‘SNL’ alums contribute to this animated tale of Dracula, whose resort for monsters is breached by a human boy who has the hots for Drac’s daughter. Joining Molly Shannon, Bill Parnell, David Spade, Jon Lovitz, Andy Samberg, and Rob Riggle are Jackie and Sadie Sandler, Adam’s real-life wife and daughter.
5. 'The Longest Yard' (2005)
Paramount
Lifetime Gross: $158,119,460

Theatres: 3,654

Sandler stars in this remake of the 1974 Burt Reynolds flick (Reynolds appears alongside Sander in the remake as Coach Scarborough). Along for the ride are the usual faces of Chris Rock and Rob Schneider, as well as several professional wrestlers (Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, Dalip Singh, Bill Goldberg) and former professional football players (Terry Crews, Brian Bosworth, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski).
4. 'The Waterboy' (1998)
BV
Lifetime Gross: $161,491,646

Theatres: 2,782

Sandler resurrected elements of his ‘Herlihy Boy’ character (curiously, ‘Herlihy’ is also the surname of Sandler’s co-writer) from ‘Saturday Night Live’ to create Bobby Boucher, the waterboy-cum-football player. The film would be the first of two to revolve around football (see previous slide for the other); it was also the second of two films to feature an oddball whose unique skills see him shoehorned into a sport (see ‘Happy Gilmore’).
3. 'Grown Ups' (2010)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $162,001,186

Theatres: 3,534

The ‘SNL’ alum has been criticized for using his movies as thinly veiled opportunities for he and his former co-stars to hang out and what’s more, get paid for it. Never was this veil thinner than in the ‘Grown Ups’ series, in which Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider and an ersatz Chris Farley in the form of Kevin James get together and act like big kids. They had so much fun, in fact, that the original running time of the film was over three hours long.
2. 'Big Daddy' (1999)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $163,479,795

Theatres: 3,254

‘Big Daddy’ is Sandler at the peak of his powers and popularity. His ‘Peter Pan/boy who wouldn’t grow up’ routine is perfected, making 'Big Daddy' one of his most successful films to date. As for the kid(s), you know him as Ross's son on 'Friends', as well as the stars of ‘The Suite Life of Zack & Cody’.
1. 'Hotel Transylvania 2' (2015)
Sony
Lifetime Gross: $169,700,110

Theatres: 3,768

Sandler “starred” in and, this time round, co-wrote this computer-animated sequel in which Dracula puts his half-breed grandson through the paces with hopes the boy discovers his ghoulish side. Even in animated form, Kevin James is never too far away from his buddy, with ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ marking the tenth film or series in which the pair have worked together.

The Top 15 Adam Sandler Films At The North American Box Office

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