Though Adam Sandler drew wide praise and award kudos for his complicated, nuanced, angry work on Uncut Gems, that represented just his occasional dip back into "respectable" cinema. With a hefty Netflix deal to honour and a wider comedy audience to satisfy, he's back in wacky territory for his latest, Hubie Halloween, which comes with a side of scares. Watch the trailer...
The basic story finds Sandler as Hubie Dubois, who thanklessly spends every Halloween making sure the residents of his hometown, Salem, celebrate safely and play by the rules. But this year, an escaped criminal and a mysterious new neighbour have Hubie on high alert.
When people start disappearing, it’s up to Hubie to convince the police (Kevin James, Kenan Thompson) and townsfolk that the monsters are real, and only he can stop them.
Yes, this is Sandler firmly back in his regular wheelhouse, with a weird vocal tick and a loser character who must prove himself. And an all-star cast of pals and others, this time including Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Noah Schnapp, Steve Buscemi and Maya Rudolph, plus the obligatory Rob Schneider.
Regular collaborators Steve Brill (as director) and Tim Herlihy (co-writing with the main man) are behind this one, with Hubie Halloween due out via Netflix on 7 October.