NBC’s Saturday Night Live teases the return of Adam Sandler with a horror-themed promo. From 1991 to 1995, the American comedian rose to fame as a cast member on the iconic sketch comedy series. Last month, NBC announced that Sandler would host Saturday Night Live for the first time.
During Sandler’s time on Saturday Night Live, he established himself as one of the most zany cast members. During Weekend Update segments, Sandler portrayed exaggerated singing characters, and often performed with his natural voice as well. During sketches, Sandler’s characters often spoke quietly to begin, only to become increasingly loud as bits progressed. In contrast, a recurring like Canteen Boy remained mostly quiet, allowing Sandler to use physical comedy to complement the dialogue of other characters. After being fired from Saturday Night Live, Sandler released popular mid-’90s comedies like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, and ultimately transformed into a legitimate A-list star through box office hits like The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, and The Waterboy. In recent years, Sandler has collaborated with Netflix via his his company Happy Madison Productions, with the most recent project being the 2018 stand-up special Adam Sandler 100% Fresh.
On YouTube, Saturday Night Live released a new promo that teases Sandler’s return. The clip begins with a gentle piano score, which complements Sandler’s stroll through a Saturday Night Live hallway while looking at wall photos. He reflects on past moments, including a Weekend Update bit, a Bruce Springsteen impersonation, a Cajun Man skit, and even “[David] Spade in a wig.” However, a sense of nostalgia turns into confusion when Sandler notices more recent photos - images that show him on the street, and even grilling outdoors. The music then drops entirely as the clip becomes increasingly meta, with Sandler noticing a final photo that mirrors the moment itself. Next, Saturday Night Live veteran Kenan Thompson suddenly appears, stating that “you never really leave." Thompson briefly stares at Sandler, and then offers a hug. The clip ends in the style of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video, as Thompson stares at the camera with his eyes changing colors. Watch the Saturday Night Live promo below.
Given Sandler’s Netflix deal, he’s not the theatrical movie star that he used to be. Still, Sandler’s Netflix movie productions have been incredibly popular amongst subscribers over the years, and the streaming service just released the trailer for his new film Murder Mystery. In the comedy, Sandler co-stars with Jennifer Aniston and Luke Evans. Sandler will soon appear in the Safdie brothers’ A24 film Uncut Game, which will be distributed internationally by Netflix.
Sandler’s return to Saturday Night Live will undoubtedly lead to high ratings. And since the show will be returning from a brief hiatus, Sandler will establish a significant amount of momentum for the final two episodes of Saturday Night Live season 44, in which Emma Thompson will host the penultimate episode on May 11 and Paul Rudd will host the season finale on May 18. For Sandler, his first Saturday Night Live hosting gig represents a chance to connect with younger demographics that may not be familiar with his brand of comedy.
More: The 10 Funniest Saturday Night Live Original Characters Ever, Ranked
Sources: Saturday Night Live
