Grown Ups 2: Sandler’s first-ever sequel

MANILA, Philippines - After moving his family back to his hometown to be with his friends and their kids, Lenny (Adam Sandler) finds out that between old bullies, new bullies, schizo bus drivers, drunk cops on skis and 400 costumed party crashers — sometimes crazy follows you.

Columbia Pictures presents the new comedy Grown Ups 2 starring Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello and Nick Swardson. Directed by Dennis Dugan, the film is produced by Sandler and Jack Giarraputo.

Sandler’s most successful comedy in his long career, the 2010 film Grown Ups took the box-office by storm as audiences laughed their way to more than $260M worldwide. Remarkably for a comedy star, Sandler has proven equally popular at home and abroad as the film took in over $100M overseas.

So, after more than 10 years of blockbuster comedies, Sandler is doing something he’s never done before — a sequel. Director Dennis Dugan, who helms his eighth Sandler film with Grown Ups 2, says that there are several reasons why the time is right.

“It was just exciting to bring everybody back together,” Dugan says. “All the characters and relationships were so rich and funny, we knew there were lots more stories to be told. It’s like visiting old friends.”

For Rock, re-teaming with his fellow funnymen meant the chance to be an especially funny movie. “It’s a playful competition,” he shares. “I wanted to be funnier than Spade, Spade wants to be funnier than Kevin and Kevin wants to be funnier than Adam. You just can’t help it, if you’re a comedian. But the positive side is that I think we really do make each other funnier.”

Opening across the Philippines on July 24, Grown Ups 2 is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.