Netflix Chief Ted Sarandos Defends Adam Sandler Despite Bad Reviews Of 'Pixels' Movie

Bad reviews for “Pixels” did not stop Netflix from signing a multi-picture deal with Adam Sandler. The chief content officer of the company, Ted Sarandos, came out in support of the actor in a recent interview.

Sarandos explained that Netflix decided to sign the deal with Sandler because of his popularity in the international market, Variety reports. The Netflix executive felt that he didn’t have to defend the actor and that the company is “as encouraged as ever” about him.

Apart from concerns about Sander's latest, “Pixels,” not crossing $50 million mark in the domestic market, there was also a controversy during the production of “The Ridiculous Six.” Some of the actors were disturbed by how the movie portrayed Native Americans and reportedly walked out of the project. Sarandos called the movie is “fair” and promised that people will realize this when the movie is released.

According to a report by Entertainment Weekly, Sarandos explained that although “Pixels” made only $24 million in its domestic opening, it made an equal amount in the international market. “A third of our subscribers are outside of the U.S., and we did our deal with Adam Sandler because he’s an enormous international global movie star,” he said.

The report points out that the "Pixels" is one of many Sandler movies that disappointed at the box office. In the past five years, six of his nine movies have failed to cross the $100 million mark.

A scathing review of Sandler’s latest by Vulture stated that the movie was “bad” and added that it is probably “worse even than it looks.” The review asserts that "Pixels" was a “huge opportunity” that was missed by Sandler and his team. It goes on to say that the actor played his role “so awkwardly that any meaning is lost amid a queasy sea of awkward pauses and halfhearted line delivery.”

A similar review by the New York Daily News suggests that every joke in “Pixels” feels “forced” and that “every special effect is un-special.” The movie was released in the U.S. on July 24 and was directed by Chris Columbus, who directed the first two “Harry Potter” movies.