Michael Mann, an iconic filmmaker of the 1980s, stood shoulder to shoulder with cinematic greats such as John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, and James Cameron. Throughout the decade, Mann directed some of its most memorable films. Collaborating with the likes of James Caan, Brian Cox, Daniel Day-Lewis, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer, Mann honed his distinctive style, evolving it with each movie and solidifying his reputation as a creative force drawn to intelligent, stylish thrillers. However, Adam Sandler missed his opportunity to work with him.
Although Cruise excelled in the role, he nearly missed the opportunity, as Russell Crowe was initially cast to portray the character. In fact, the Australian actor played a pivotal role in kickstarting the production, persuading Mann to become involved before ongoing delays led to his departure from the project. It was then that the director turned to Cruise, extending the role to him, while the unexpected choice of comedian Adam Sandler was made to play Max.
Also read: Adam Sandler Net Worth – How Much Money Has Hollywood Critics’ Worst Enemy Made from His Movies?
Why Did Adam Sandler Leave The Project?
Adam Sandler’s departure from the project was solely due to scheduling conflicts with the 2004 romantic comedy Spanglish, leading to his replacement by Foxx. Meanwhile, screenwriter Stuart Beattie had envisioned Robert De Niro as Max, believing that having the actor play a character diametrically opposed to his iconic role in Taxi Driver would add a humorous twist to the story.
Adam Sandler told The Hollywood Reporter:
“It was one of those funny screenplays. Nothing’s wrong with Adam Sandler, but it kinda envisioned a – it took place in New York, the Jamie Foxx character was a badly-written Jewish cab driver, with the kind of stereotypes that can only come from someone writing that kind of a character who’s foreign, who’s not American, that doesn’t live in New York”.
Michael Mann openly acknowledges that he had reservations about the screenplay, including the dialogue and the writing process. However, upon closer examination, he recognizes that the script possesses exquisite structural elements. He regards it as one of the most elegantly crafted narratives he had ever encountered.
Netflix Forced Adam Sandler To Quit His Franchise
Adam Sandler and Kevin James lent their voices to the classic horror monsters in the initial three Hotel Transylvania films. However, in the fourth installment, they were notably absent, replaced by voice actors Brian Hull and Brad Abrell, who stepped into their roles.
Despite Sandler and James exiting the franchise, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi, and Andy Samberg continue to be part of it.
It’s worth mentioning that Sandler had apparently entered into fresh development agreements with Netflix, which accounted for his absence from this particular film. In January 2020, he extended his collaboration with Netflix for four additional movies, with reports suggesting that this new arrangement was valued at $250 million.
Collateral can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: Far Out
