Adam Sandler says Netflix asked to change China’s setting in movie

• Adam Sandler said Netflix asked him to move the set for his new film from China to Spain.
• According to Sandler, the request was made because Netflix is ​​currently not available in China.
• “Somehow, Netflix is ​​not in China,” he said.
• Visit the Insider home page for more stories.

Adam Sandler says

Netflix
asked him to change the plot and location of his next sports comedy from China to Spain, as the streamer is not available in the Asian country.

In the upcoming comedy “Hustle,” Sandler plays a basketball agent who tries to revive his failing career by recruiting extraordinary foreign talent for the NBA. In the final version of the film, the character of Sandler recruits a promising Spanish player, played by real Memphis Grizzlies star Juancho Hernangomez.

During an interview on “The Dan Patrick Show,” however, Sandler said, “It was originally written that I find a player in China and somehow Netflix doesn’t. is not in China. Do we find someone in Latin America or Europe? ‘”

“So the next thing you know,” Sandler added, “I’m in Mallorca [Spain]. “

Netflix

Despite growing success in other parts of Asia like Japan, Netflix is ​​currently not available in China, the world’s second largest economy after the United States. The streamer is also not available in Crimea, North Korea and Syria. Last year, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told CNBC the company is not focused on conquering the Chinese market.

“We were rejected by the Chinese government several years ago. And we haven’t spent time on China in the past two years,” he said. “There are so many opportunities for us in Asia, the rest of Asia – India, in particular, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, then all over Europe and Latin America.”

Later in his interview with “The Dan Patrick Show,” Sandler said Grizzlies player Juancho Hernangomez had outdone him in every scene they filmed together.

“[Hernangómez] acts better than me in every scene, “Sandler said.” It’s like, damn it. This guy falls down, cries in the middle of a scene, does the right thing. With every joke he says, I think to myself, ‘He said it more quietly than I would have done.’ “

“Hustle” is Sandler’s seventh collaboration with Netflix. The actor-comedian signed a production contract with the streamer in 2014, and according to Netflix, the partnership has been an effective tool in attracting audiences. In 2019, the company declared Sandler’s comedy “Murder Mystery” starring Jennifer Aniston the most popular movie on Netflix in the United States and one of the most popular movies in eight other countries.

Last year, Netflix announced the extension of its partnership with Sandler and that it would produce four more films with the comedian.

“Hustle,” which has yet to be given a release date, is also set to star Queen Latifah and Robert Duvall. LA Lakers forward LeBron James – who recently starred in the “Space Jam” sequel – is also a producer on the film.