Adam Sandler Thinks Playing A Superhero Would Be 'Awful For Everybody' - Exclusive
Even though he plays a deathly serious role as a cosmonaut approaching an ominous celestial anomaly in "Spaceman," Adam Sandler can't stay away from his comedic roots when doing the press rounds for the new Netflix original movie.
Teamed with "Spaceman" co-star Paul Dano for an exclusive interview with Looper, Sandler mulled over the idea of being in a comic book movie as a superhero or a supervillain — a la Dano's menacing turn as the Riddler in the 2022 blockbuster "The Batman." Sandler initially seemed to be on board when broached with the idea of a comic book movie project — "Oh, man, yes!" he enthused — but then he realized what he would look like in Spandex, a popular costume fabric in the genre, and changed his mind.
"It's just due to me wearing anything tight on the body [that's] going to be awful for everybody," Sandler told Looper.
While no superhero or supervillain roles appear to be in the cards for Sandler in the future, the actor said he's thrilled for the opportunity to finally work with the actor who took the role of the Riddler to terrifying new heights.
"Paul was incredible in that movie ... I'm so happy we get to work with each other. He has so many roles, so many performances, including the Riddler that have inspired me and my family," Sandler said of the acclaimed performer whose credits include "There Will Be Blood," "Little Miss Sunshine," and "The Fabelmans." "My daughter loves Paul as an actor, and I just love his career."
Dano says Sandler doesn't need a Riddler-like role to prove his range
In "Spaceman," Paul Dano voices Hanuš, a giant alien spider that Czech cosmonaut Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) encounters in the outer reaches of the galaxy. As a calming voice of reason for the sole space traveler, Hanuš is pushing Jakub — whose mind is in torment over past traumas and ongoing marital strife with his wife (Carey Mulligan) — to confront his troubles before they destroy him.
In real life, Dano said he would never push Sandler in the direction of a serious comic book movie role like the Riddler to confront the complexities of the mind. After all, Dano told Looper, Sandler has already proven in movies like Paul Thomas Anderson's "Punch-Drunk Love" and Benny and Josh Safdie's "Uncut Gems" that he has an incredible acting range. "From PTA to the Safdies and to ["Spaceman"], those are real performances," Dano said. "They're not just, 'Hey, let's just downplay it a little bit. Let's just turn the volume down on Adam Sandler a little bit.' When you watch 'Uncut Gems' and you watch 'Spaceman,' you see it's real work. It's a real character, a real performance, and I think that everybody now sees that so I don't even think he needs a push."
Sandler said he realized early on that there were no limitations for comedic actors when he joined his dad to watch legendary "Honeymooners" star Jackie Gleason in the title role in the 1962 film classic "Gigot."
"It was exciting to see him do something different that I wasn't used to," Sandler recalled. "I'm lucky to get to do stuff like this. 'Spaceman' is definitely a new vibe."
Directed by Johan Renck, "Spaceman" debuts on Netflix on March 1.