Quentin Tarantino Opens Up About Adam Sandler's Lost Role in Inglorious Basterds
Adam Sandler has made a career for himself through classic comedies like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, Mr. Deeds, and even Anger Management. But, the actor has started to do more serious roles like Barry Egan in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk Love and Howard Ratner in the Safdie Brothers Uncut Gems. Sandler has slowly moved into awards level acting with fans believing he should have been nominated for an Academy Award for his work in Uncut Gems. It turns out Sandler almost worked with another major director, but it ultimately didn't pan out. Previously, it was revealed that the actor was the number one choice to play the Bear in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds. Now Tarantino is revealing Sandler's reaction to the script during a recent appearance on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast.
"Obviously he should've done yours because of the whole thing of it," Tarantino revealed. "I mean, you start with the fucking video cassette of you guys as kids. But yeah, the Bear Jew was going to…I wrote the Bear Jew for Adam Sandler. When I was doing 'Little Nicky,' he's telling me like, "Oh man, I get to fucking beat up Nazis with a bat? Fucking script! Fucking awesome! I can't fucking wait! I can't fucking wait!" He was like telling every Jewish guy, 'I'm going to fucking play this guy who beats up Nazis with a fucking bat.'"
During a previous interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sandler confirmed that he is "going to do another movie with the Safdie brothers." This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given how well-received their first partnership was. Unfortunately, Sandler didn't elaborate on the new project.
"They're working hard on it," he said of the Safdies. "Their work ethic is bananas. They're always working, always writing, always thinking. I don't know what I can tell you, but it's gonna be very exciting. It's different. But I don't want them to ever say, "What the hell did you tell him that for?' So I'll just let them talk [about it]."
There are no currently no other details available on the project just yet regarding the new Sander/Safdie film other than what's stated. With that being said, we'll have no shortage of the actor between now and the arrival of that next Safdie project. Sandler has two new films releasing on Netflix this year. Hustle, a movie about a basketball scout trying to strike gold with an unproven player, is currently streaming after hitting the service this summer. Later in the year, Sandler can be seen in the movie Spaceman, alongside The Batman star Paul Dano.
Sandler also recently wrapped filming on Murder Mystery 2, the sequel to one of the most-watched Netflix movies of all time. The comedy follow-up will see Sandler and Jennifer Aniston reuniting on-screen once again.
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