Adam Sandler Believes the Safdie Brothers “Certainly Will” Reunite

Josh and Benny Safdie broke a lot of cinephile’s hearts when they announced their split at the beginning of 2024. The filmmaking duo are behind such cult favorites as Uncut Gems and Good Time, and seem to know just how to coax the most subversive performances from the industry’s most visible actors. Though the Safdie Brothers have only just begun to break into the mainstream, they’ve been collaborating for years — and after the success of Uncut Gems, many assumed their collaboration would continue for years to come.

Alas, the 2019 film might be the last we see of the brothers Safdie for the foreseeable future. Benny Safdie has been transitioning to roles in front of the camera, appearing in Oppenheimer, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and HBO’s The Curse (which he also co-created with Nathan Fielder) in 2023. The elder Safdie, Josh, has been laying low in the meantime. The pair were formerly set to direct a yet-untitled sports drama with Megan Thee Stallion, but according to Variety, that project was placed on an indefinite hold after Benny Safdie departed the project.

“It’s a natural progression of what we each want to explore,” the filmmaker told the trade. “I will direct on my own, and I will explore things that I want to explore. I want that freedom right now in my life.”

No one knows whether the brothers will reunite any time soon. Not even Sandler — who was set to star alongside Stallion in the Safdie’s next film — truly has an answer. But having worked with the duo on Uncut Gems, and cultivated a friendship with each of the Safdies, the actor is confident that their hiatus won’t last forever.

Sandler recently caught up with Inverse while promoting his latest film, Spaceman. The actor’s partnership with Netflix is keeping him busy enough, and he says the same for the recently-split Safdies. “Oh, they’re doing their stuff,” Sandler told Inverse’s Jake Kleinman. “They’re both working their asses off.”

When asked whether the Safdies would find a way to reunite in the future, Sandler’s answer was optimistic:

“I have no idea what’s going to happen in the future with their collaboration. I’m sure they certainly will, but they’re both amazing guys and they’re loving brothers and care about each other more than anything. Truly one of the best friendships I have is with both of those guys.”

Fortunately, their split is an amicable one, but it’s going to be hard to wait for a reunion that could be years in the future. There’s no telling when — or even if — a Sandler-Stallion team-up is still in the cards, which is disappointing any way you slice it. But the Safdies have been churning out great work together for years. Benny Safdie’s solo work has also been consistent, and it’s safe to say that Josh Safdie’s work will be too.

This split might have come as a shock, but the filmmakers deserve the chance to explore their own passions and stories. Hopefully they’ll find their way back to each other in the future, but if not, at least we’ve got Uncut Gems.