Adam Sandler | featured news

The actors who earned the most in the last 12 months.

"Looper" and musical comedy "Pitch Perfect" also score strong starts; education drama "Won't Back Down" flunks... According to early estimates, Hotel Transylvania -- boasting a voice cast led by Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Selena Gomez -- grossed an estimated $11 million on Friday for a $38 million to $40 million weekend. The 3D toon earned an A- CinemaScore overall, and an A from females and kids under the age of 18.

Despite it's all-star cast, "Rock of Ages" ekes out $15.1 million opening; "That's My Boy" grosses $13 million, marking Adam Sandler's worst opening for a comedy in eight years... Instead, it was holdovers "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" and "Prometheus" that continued to top the chart, staying at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively with $35.5 million and $20.2 million.

When Adam Sandler's bad, he's really bad, according to voters for the Razzies, an Academy Awards spoof that singles out the worst movies of the year. Sandler received a record 11 nominations Saturday for the Razzies as star, producer or writer on three 2011 movies - "Jack and Jill," "Just Go with It" and "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star."

Adam Sandler's got a winning formula -- lowbrow yuks plus sentimentality equals box office gold -- but critics say Jack and Jill may test the patience of even the most loyal of Sandman acolytes. Tarsem Singh certainly has a knack for eye-popping images, but critics say the problem with Immortals is that its attention to blood-soaked visual detail always trumps character development and storytelling. J. Edgar purports to explore the professional and personal life of influential (many would say too influential) FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, but critics say Clint Eastwood's admittedly handsome biopic is ultimately too vague a portrait of its controversial subject.

Nice try but no kewpie doll for the overgrown kids. Sony's ensemble comedy "Grown Ups" opened impressively during the weekend with an estimated $41 million in domestic boxoffice. But Disney/Pixar's 3D three-quel "Toy Story 3" easily repeated at #1 with a $59 million sophomore session -- just 47% less loot than in the previous frame -- yielding $226.6 million in cumulative coin. Fox/New Regency's "Knight and Day," starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz," landed in third place with $20.5 million on the weekend and a $27.8 million cume since its Wednesday bow.

Apatow comedy at top spot with $23.4 million -- Adam Sandler's "Funny People" has topped a moderate weekend box office with $23.4 million at 3,008 playdates.

FRIDAY PM/Saturday AM: It's looking like this summer's first soft weekend at the domestic box office. Playing in 3,008 North American theaters, it comfortably debuted #1 with $8 million Friday but will probably end Sunday with $22M.

Adam Sandler is set to star alongside buddies (and regular co-collaborators) Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider in an untitled comedy.