It took more than 20 years for Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Company to make an animated film after this holiday bomb

Adam SandlerHollywood production company Happy Madison Productions released a Christmas-themed animated film in the early 2000s, and after it flopped, it would be two decades before they worked on another animated project. Happy Madison Productions was founded by Sandler in December 1999, taking its name from two of the actor's most popular films which he co-wrote with Tim Herlihy – Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. Since then, the company has produced more than 50 films, mostly live-action comedy projects. However, Happy Madison Productions also released two animated films, and they couldn't be more different.

Of Happy Madison Productions' more than 50 films, some of its most notable stories include Mr., Anger management, 50 first dates, Click, Adults, Murder mysteryand much more. Basically, the company's standout films are also Sandler's best films. Unfortunately, not all of them managed to be box office successes or receive positive reviews from critics and audiences. One of the Happy Madison Productions films that performed dismally on both counts was an animated film this apparently scared the company away from making another one of its kind for over 20 years.

A Crazy Eight Nights was a box office failure in 2002

The adult-animated Hanukkah film was also a flop among critics

Happy Madison Productions and Adam Sandler made their first animated film in 2002, and it was an epic flop. Eight crazy nights stars Sandler as Davey Stone, a Jew (and curmudgeon) who gets into trouble with the law while on vacation in his small hometown. To avoid prison, Davey agrees to do community service for Whitey Duvall, an older man who volunteers as a referee for the town's youth basketball league and is passionate about the holidays. All over Eight crazy nightsWhitey works hard to change Davey's perspective on his town, Hanukkah, and life in general.

Unfortunately, Eight crazy nights grossed just US$23.8 million at the box office against a budget of US$34 million, and critics gave it negative reviews. On Rotten tomatoesSandler's infamous holiday bomb has a Tomatometer score of 13 percent. Meanwhile, your audience score is 50%.

Many criticized the film's humor, unlikeable protagonist, story, and more, resulting in one of the most poorly received films of Sandler's career. Eight crazy nightsThe reception came as a surprise to many, however. It came at the end of Sandler's most prolific period as a filmmaker, as the '90s were filled with successes for the actor. So the bombing of Sandler's film was certainly a shock, and this made Happy Madison Productions hesitant to launch another animated project for over 20 years.

It took over twenty years for Happy Madison to produce another animated film

Netflix released Leo in 2023

Finally, 21 years after the release of Eight crazy nightsHappy Madison Productions developed another animated film. LionNetflix's musical comedy, premiered in 2023, and has certainly redeemed the production company in its ability to make quality (and well-received) animated projects. Sandler's hit Netflix movie scored an 84% Tomatometer score in Rotten tomatoes. The public also evidently loved it. Lionas the film's audience score reaches an impressive 90%.

Lion is the return of Happy Madison Productions after Eight crazy nights (although it took more than two decades). It certainly helps that the two films couldn't be more different. While Eight crazy nights is aimed at adults and has a cynical tone, Lion It is suitable for children and adults and is comforting. The films' animation styles also differ. Eight crazy nights uses 2D animation, while Lion features CGI animation, making the latter film much more visually appealing. As it turns out, Sandler's animated Netflix comedy was so successful that it's getting a sequel, which is pretty telling when compared to Eight crazy nights'Front desk.

Adam Sandler knew animation well

Sandler has starred in other animated projects outside of Happy Madison

While it took 21 years for Happy Madison Productions to release its second animated film, it didn't take long for Adam Sandler to return to the medium. Ten years later Eight crazy nights​​​​​​​ bombed, Sandler voiced the main character in the Sony film Hotel Transylvania. He reprized the role in its two sequels —​​​​​​ Hotel Transylvania 2 and Hotel Transylvania 3: summer vacation —​​​​​​​ with every installment of Sandler's Hotel Transylvania franchise performing better than the previous one at the box office.

Then, Sandler has starred in five animated films in his career. Although your first, Eight crazy nightsperformed the worst, the actor's latest animation project, Lionit was one of his best-received films. Perhaps Lionsuccess will convince Adam Sandler and Happy Madison Productions to continue releasing animated films.

Sources: Netflix by Tudum, Rotten Tomatoes