Leo: Adam Sandler's animated Netflix film releases first trailer

It is part of multi-film deal Sandler signed with the streaming platform in 2014

A scene from Leo, a new animated film from Netflix starring Adam Sandler. Photo: Netflix

The trailer for Adam Sandler’s next Netflix film Leo has been released.

The animated musical has Sandler voicing the part of an elderly, talking lizard that resides in an elementary school in Florida.

The story begins as Leo, who has spent decades in a classroom with his terrarium-mate turtle Squirtle, finds out he has one year left to live.

One day, the teacher tells the pupils that they must take an animal home. Leo is passed from one child to another as he attempts to enrich their lives by teaching them new lessons during the time he spends with them.

The cast of Leo contains several familiar voices, including those of comedian Bill Burr and Jason Alexander, best known for playing George Costanza on Seinfeld.

Saturday Night Live alumnus Cecily Strong, comedian Jo Koy and frequent Sandler collaborator Rob Schneider also voice characters in the film.

Produced by Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions, the film is directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel and David Wachtenheim, all of whom have worked with Sandler on previous projects such as Hotel Transylvania.

The film will also feature the voices of members of Sandler’s family, including his wife Jackie as well as his daughters Sunny and Sadie.

Adam Sandler and Bill Burr record their voices for characters in Leo. Photo: Netflix

The film is described as a musical-comedy with the trailer depicting fun, whimsical scenes as Leo goes home with each of the pupils in the class.

It is the latest in a partnership deal between Sandler and the streaming platform. In 2014, Sandler signed a four-film deal with Netflix for $250 million, which was later doubled to eight films in 2017. Netflix revealed in 2020 that its subscribers had spent more than two billion hours watching the actor's original content since 2015.

Since the deal, Sandler and Netflix have put out The Ridiculous 6 (2015), The Do-Over (2016), Sandy Wexler (2017), The Week Of (2018), Murder Mystery (2019), Hubie Halloween (2020), Hustle (2022) and Murder Mystery 2 (2023).

Leo premieres on Netflix on November 21

Updated: October 13, 2023, 6:23 AM