Adam Sandler Has Recently Expanded His Circle of Comedy Filmmakers Murder Mystery 2,
The new Netflix action comedy is a sequel to the 2019 movie on the streaming service, which was directed by Kyle Neuchek and starred Jeremy Garelick. After being abducted at their wedding, Sandler and Jennifer Aniston reprise their roles as Nick and Audrey Spitz, private investigators who become involved in a case that forces them to ask their friend the Maharaja (Adil Akhtar) to travel to Paris. Jodie Turner-Smith, Melanie Laurent, and Mark Strong also appear.
Garelik is renowned for helming movies like the wedding ringer (2015) starring Kevin Hart and an early vehicle for the adolescent comedies binging in 2020.
Nonetheless, Murder Mystery 2 features unquestionably his biggest action sequence to date, which makes sense given that the plot of the film involves someone being thrown from the Eiffel Tower. In 2006, Aniston and Garelik collaborated on the comedy picture vary, which Garelik co-wrote but was only vaguely familiar with before Sandler, who is known for bringing back comedic directors from his previous productions. But, as Garelik notes, it didn’t take long for the two to become close.
In an interview with a Hollywood reporter, Garelick talks about how he and Sandler contacted Aniston for the unusual sequel and how they were shocked to discover that Charlize Theron had been chosen as an executive producer. He also talks about how he latched onto Aniston to assist her make a point. acknowledged as producer, his thoughts on comedy movie plots, and the reasons why he had conflicting emotions when writing the script for The Hangover.
When I read the early script of Hangover and compared it to the finished movie, I noticed that you contributed uncredited writing, and they were completely dissimilar. I’ve always found manipulation fascinating, therefore I’m shocked you weren’t given credit. I simply had to begin with it.
I really appreciate it. Todd Phillips, the director On this one, I wasn’t even given writing credit. We gave it a lot of our lives. There were undoubtedly high points and low points to it. I appreciate you expressing that, so thank you.
Murder Mystery 2 is also
Was Kyle Newcheck, who directed the first movie, ever a prospective candidate, or how did you get into directing?
Since I formed a production business called American High and purchased a high school in upstate New York, we’ve probably been producing low-budget comedy about high school for the past five years. We’ve probably produced 17 films, roughly. That also appeared out of nowhere. My agent called to ask whether I would be interested in directing Murder Mystery 2 with Adam and Jane. I responded, “Of course,” to that. After a number of discussions with the producers, I was hired along with Jen and Adam. I was ecstatic about getting this chance. I don’t know what happens to Kyle, and I never wish to inquire about it.
Adam Sandler is renowned for maintaining relationships with filmmakers and frequently collaborating with them. How does it go about developing that trust when this is also your first movie together?
He had only read a few of my pages when he called me for the first time, and he was chuckling. For me, that was the turning point. I remember thinking, “Well, Adam Sandler is laughing at what I just wrote, so I feel good about that,” and that gave me confidence. But, when we began filming, I discovered that I had received COVID two days before. This required absurd amounts of planning. We had two crews and were preparing in two locations that were 12 hours apart, Hawaii and Paris. During the first three days, I had to direct on a monitor using FaceTime from my hotel room. It wasn’t encouraging for confidence. But as I recovered, we began to enjoy ourselves.
What level of input into the writing process did Sandler and you both have?
Mr. James Vanderbilt made everyone say, “Alright, let’s see what we can do,” after writing a rough copy. I then received that manuscript, went through it a few times, and after we received the go-ahead, Adam and [regular collaborator] Tim [Herlihy] contributed several jokes. That was a collaborative effort that was great joy for all of us.
With one exception, Sandler has exhibited a lack of interest in sequels throughout time. two adults Was a method followed to ensure that it felt distinct from the first one?
Todd and I just began by asking, “Alright, what are any decent comedy sequels?” when we sat down to discuss hangover 2. It’s a pretty small list—almost none if you exclude the animation—and it’s challenging to produce a high-caliber sequel. You can watch this movie whether or not you’ve seen the first one, I really wanted to say when I first saw this possibility and read the script. Only afterwards, when we’ve completed numerous drafts, do I go back and keep some of the references to the original film. I attempt to maintain the framework of a film without too many references to the original film. It’s enjoyable either way.
What happens when shooting on location at the Eiffel Tower?
It was both enjoyable and difficult. The lengthy action scene was written into the initial draft. After that, we simply went through a ton of storyboarding. I made the animatics, which were then mixed with the actors’ voices, music, and sound effects, so that we could only see the movie as a cartoon. Because of this, I was able to edit, rewrite, rewrite, and reshoot even before I began filming on the Eiffel Tower. Once everyone was on the same page, we had to figure out how to obtain the insanely difficult licenses necessary to shoot at the Eiffel Tower. On stage in France, Perry Blake, our amazing production designer, built a nearly perfect copy of the top three stories of the Eiffel Tower. Also, we had a fantastic stunt team and visual effects team. I believe that Kelly Phelan, a stuntwoman, was the first woman to perform a rap from the Eiffel Tower, and we were the first motion picture to shoot stunts on the tower.
How was it directing these two big stars?
I’ve previously collaborated with Adam and Jennifer on a movie, which is amazing. They are extremely quick and professional. Adam is such a stickler for detail. He made a lot of effort. He’ll put in more effort than anyone else, and when the shoot is over, he’ll remain be on set to provide feedback. He’s a filmmaker, and Jane and I have both taught me a lot. It was a film school taught by two of the best professors ever.
They have such good chemistry. How did it work to roll them together in duct tape?
I always watch out for both of them because if they get hurt, we’re all out. While they were having fun, they were also working hard to complete their tasks. Adam can just roll, just like Jane. “Nah, we’ll use stunt guys,” I say. She simply said, “No, I could hold her. Lay down right now. She did this by placing me on my back. She had a lot of power. Even though I weigh about 200 pounds, I thought, “Alright, she can hold.” (laughs.) While she is little, she is powerful. So watching them both roll over each other was a lot of fun.
I adore viewing comedy in the theater because it can be such a shared experience. You’ve worked on comedies that have become theatrical hits and others that are only available as streaming content, like this and Hulu binge. What do you think of the comedy film market right now?
I concur with the feeling. My three boys, ages 11, 11, and 13, are watching naked gun right now. I first saw it in a movie theater, where there were literally people rolling down the aisle and spitting popcorn in that manner. You cannot possibly have that experience while only sitting at home. More individuals are reportedly going to watch the movie. Yet I concur with you. A studio with a truly humorous film will be required to make the announcement that “We’re going to put this in the cinema.” Individuals will arrive, and then everyone else will do the same. It’s a hangover from taking,
Murder Mystery 2’s self-roofie moment was entertaining to see, perhaps as a peek hangover.
There are just around six jokes in my arsenal, laughs. So until I get the credits in the movie, I keep saying them. ,laughs,
You spoke of the hangover procedure. I’m sure credits signify a lot of money with a massively popular movie like this. Is business in general frustrating with this process?
It’s challenging to establish norms when there are as many people working on a movie as screenwriters, though I can’t speak to every process. I may not necessarily have a response to this. Is it disappointing to devote your life to something and not have your name appear on a movie? Without a doubt. Nonetheless, it is something that every working writer has experienced at some point. Many people perform work that is not acknowledged. I don’t even truly understand the rules at this point, so this is a difficult question. But, if a script had previously written, it can be difficult to acquire credit as the director of a movie. This regulation was put in place to prevent writers from stealing your credit and going to the directors.
Regarding credits, Charlize Theron is listed as an executive producer on both this and the previous movie. Why so?
To be completely honest, I have no idea. Just before locking the movie, I watched the credits. I think, “Oh, wow! Charlize is there, which is fantastic. Perhaps in the upcoming one, she’ll play the bad guy.”