Really Internet: All Adam Sandler Movies Are Connected

There are fan theories, and then there are theories that are so extraordinarily epic they make you pause and marvel at their greatness. That second category is firmly where Adam Sandler‘s Sandlerverse exists.

There are certain shows and movies that exist in the same universe. A great confirmed version of this exists in the classic Coen brothers movie and FX TV series Fargo. Though each film and anthology series contain completely different characters and take place during different points in time, everything that happens in the movie and show takes place in the same show universe. One of the internet’s favorite hobbies is desperately trying to prove that seemingly opposite franchises actually exist in the same fictional universe. There are few fan theories of this nature more daunting than the one surrounding the one and only Adam Sandler.

WHAT’S THE THEORY?

I hope you’re sitting down. You’re in for a treat. The Sandlerverse is a deeply intricate theory that speculates every Adam Sandler movie is connected to each other. Happy Gilmore? Eight Crazy Nights? 50 First Dates? Sandler’s time on Saturday Night Live and his many musical albums? They all exist in the same fictional universe. Yeah, it’s a lot.

WHY IT’S NOT THAT CRAZY

This theory came into existence at the hands of one very dedicated and very obsessive YouTuber — Shawn Kohne. Kohne watched over 30 Adam Sandler and Rob Reiner movies to bring us this truth. Almost every one of these movies was critically despised, but that didn’t stop this fan theorist. Kohne also tied Sandler’s time on Saturday Night Live and his musical albums back to his giant multi-verse theory. Some heroes don’t wear capes. You can check out theory in its eight-minute glory here:

The theory is far too large to explain point by point, so I’ll highlight some of the most surprising revelations. In Happy Gilmore (1996), Chubbs (portrayed by Carl Weathers) falls through a window, presumably to his death. But four years later in Little Nicky, Chubbs reappears in heaven. What does Reese Witherspoon have to say about Chubbs? She tells Nicky that he used to be a golf pro (Chubbs’ job in Happy Gilmore) but now he’s known in heaven for being the dopest dancer. Likewise, sportscaster Dan Patrick seems to play the same cop in The Longest Yard (2005) and in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007). But the most interesting finds have to do with this theory’s sub universes.

There are two sub-verses, if you will, to Kohne’s theory. The first is the Rob Schneider overlap. There are several Schneider movies that are connected to the Sandlerverse, if you believe Kohne’s theory. The most impressive of these connections comes when he connects the phrase “You can do it!” to the Netflix series Real Rob. However, there’s an even more interesting sub-verse hiding in these fan theory weeds. According to Kohne, Big Daddy (1999) and Mr. Deeds (2002) are connected to each other, but they aren’t connected to any other Sandler movie. What’s going on here? What are you trying to tell us, Sandler?

WHY IT’S QUESTIONABLE

The sheer magnitude of this claim makes it feel unbelievable. Sandler has been starring in movies since the early ‘90s. What are the odds that every single film he has constructed has been lovingly stitched together? Several internet commentators have pointed to this theory as proof that Sandler reuses the same handful of jokes. By this argument, in his quest to to prove that Adam Sandler is brilliant, Kohne has succeeded in showing the comedian is incredibly repetitive. And yet there are so many little flourishes — last names, incredibly specific locations, professions — that crossover from movie to movie without adding any additional comedic value. It’s through these small moments that I think this theory holds the most weight.

I think the scariest part of this theory is its implication. If Kohne is right and all of Sandler’s movies are intentionally connected, then we’ve been misjudging the brilliance of this comedian for years. Here’s a list of every Sandler movie and show the theory mentions, in the order they were presented in the original video. Watch them for yourself if you’re still skeptical of Kohne’s claims:

50 First Dates (2004)
Tommy Boy (1995)
Blended (2014)
Bullet Proof (1996)
Happy Gilmore (1996)
Jack and Jill (2011)
Little Nicky (2000)
The Waterboy (1998)
Joe Dirt (2001)
The Animal (2001)
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999)
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)
The Hot Chick (2002)
Saturday Night Live (1993 – 1996)
The Longest Yard (2005)
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
Billy Madison (1995)
The Master of Disguise (2002)
Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
That’s My Boy (2012)
Grandma’s Boy (2006)
Click (2006)
Funny People (2009)
Real Rob (2015)
Anger Management (2003)
Pixels (2015)
Grown Ups (2010)
The Wedding Singer (1998)
Reign Over Me (2007)