The Adam Sandler movie Big Daddy would initially have a different title.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, producer Sid Ganis and co-writer Steve Franks discussed the movie’s legacy after 25 years. They revealed the “perfect title” it was meant to have.
The script’s title was “Guy Gets Kid,” according to Ganis. “I read it, and Alex Siskin, who worked for me, read it, and we thought, ‘This is good.'”
Franks also supported the cancelled title. “I thought Guy Gets Kid was the perfect title because it tells you everything you need to know about the movie in three words,” he said. “But I guess you could also interpret it as kidnapping.”
The co-writer, credited for the screenplay with Sandler and Tim Herlihy, said he wrote the spec for the movie while working at Disneyland. He saw his co-workers “going off to real jobs” and thought, “There was a solid chance that I could be a guy who’s 30 years old and at Disneyland,” Franks recalled.
Franks mentioned that his thought process inspired the movie. The movie is about a man (Sandler) who adopts a 5-year-old boy (played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse) to impress his ex-girlfriend.
When deciding who would play the lead role, they noticed Sandler during a test screening of The Wedding Singer and wanted him for the part. However, the studio preferred to cast a “big movie star” instead.
During a film convention in Las Vegas, the head of Columbia, Amy Pascal, met Adam Sandler after watching his movie “Wedding Singer.” She immediately liked him and thought he was a great person.
Franks reflected on his experience with Sandler, stating that he found Sandler to be a “quiet, sweet guy” and that the process was smooth and easy.
An interview revealed that other celebrities considered for the role included Chris Farley, John Cusack, and John Travolta.
The two filmmakers also talked about the possibility of the movie getting a sequel. Neither of them said it wouldn’t happen.
“We often hear talk about making a sequel to a movie that’s a big hit. Thankfully, in this case, we made the right choice. It’s best that Big Daddy remains just the way it is,” Ganis stated.
Franks expressed keen interest in revisiting the field, highlighting the fun and many opportunities it offers. He expressed eagerness to be first in line if there were plans for a series or sequel.
Sandler has been busy with recent projects for Netflix, such as his successful Murder Mystery film series and the movie You Are So Not Invited To My Bar Mitzvah, in which his two daughters also starred. He has also been working on a project called Spaceman.
He is working on a new comedy series for Netflix called Kinda Pregnant. He is also set to star in the latest work by Noah Baumbach for the same streaming platform.
