Netflix is doubling down on Adam Sandler nostalgia. Following the massive success of Happy Gilmore 2, the streamer has officially confirmed that Grown Ups 3 is in development. Sandler will co-write the script with longtime collaborator Tim Herlihy and produce alongside Jackie Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, and Herlihy. Kyle Newacheck, who previously directed Sandler in Murder Mystery, is set to direct.
The Grown Ups franchise has been a reliable box-office draw despite critical indifference. The original 2010 film, which followed a group of childhood friends reuniting after their basketball coach's death, grossed over $271 million worldwide. Its 2013 sequel, Grown Ups 2, earned more than $247 million globally. Critics may not have been kind, but audiences kept showing up for the blend of familiar faces, dumb jokes, and family chaos.
The original cast was a who's who of comedy royalty: Adam Sandler as Lenny Feder, Kevin James as Eric Lamonsoff, Chris Rock as Kurt McKenzie, David Spade as Marcus Higgins, Rob Schneider as Rob Hilliard, Salma Hayek Pinault as Roxanne Chase-Feder, Maria Bello as Sally Lamonsoff, Maya Rudolph as Deanne McKenzie, and Steve Buscemi as Wiley. Casting for the third film has not yet been announced, but fans are hopeful most of the ensemble will return.
Why Now?
The timing makes sense. Sandler's partnership with Netflix has been enormously fruitful, with his comedies consistently ranking among the streamer's most-watched originals. Grown Ups offers the kind of low-stakes, high-comfort viewing that plays perfectly on streaming—no intricate mythology, just familiar faces and easy laughs. Newacheck's background in ensemble comedy through Workaholics and What We Do in the Shadows makes him a natural fit for a franchise where cast chemistry is everything.
Netflix has also been leaning into legacy sequels, as seen with the recent success of Happy Gilmore 2. The streamer's strategy of reviving beloved Sandler properties is paying off, and Grown Ups 3 is the next logical step. For fans who've been waiting 13 years for another round of manchild antics, the wait is almost over.
In other Netflix news, the platform recently saw Counterattack become its biggest non-English hit, and George R.R. Martin's Dark Winds emerged as a sleeper hit in July 2026. Meanwhile, Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series is also heading to Netflix with a star-studded cast.
Grown Ups 3 is officially in development now. More details, including casting and a release date, are expected soon.
