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Little Nicky
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Little Nicky
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Little Nicky
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySteven Brill
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyTheo van de Sande
Edited byJeff Gourson
Music byTeddy Castellucci
Production
companies
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release date
  • November 10, 2000 (2000-11-10)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$80—85 million[1]
Box office$58 million[2]

Little Nicky is a 2000 American dark fantasy comedy film directed by Steven Brill, written by Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler, and Brill, and starring Sandler in the title role, Patricia Arquette, Harvey Keitel, Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr., Rhys Ifans, and Rodney Dangerfield with supporting roles by Allen Covert, Kevin Nealon, Jon Lovitz, Michael McKean, and Quentin Tarantino. The film depicts the son of Satan and an angel who is tasked with returning his two brothers to Hell and preventing them from destroying the boundary between good and evil on Earth. Little Nicky was released by New Line Cinema on November 10, 2000. The film received negative reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing $58 million against an $80–85 million budget.

Plot

[edit]

With his 10,000-year reign coming to an end, Satan must decide which of his three sons will succeed him as ruler of Hell. Adrian is the most devious, Cassius is the cruelest and Nicky is the kindest. Nicky has had a speech impediment and a disfigured jaw since Cassius hit him in the face with a shovel. Satan assembles his sons to tell them that as they are not yet ready to succeed him, he will continue ruling Hell.

Angered by this decision, Adrian and Cassius travel to Earth to create a new Hell by possessing religious and political leaders in New York City. As they leave, they freeze the entrance to Hell, preventing more evil souls from entering and causing Satan to begin to disintegrate. Stanley the Gatekeeper informs Satan of this and Satan punishes him by growing breasts on his head and giving him to his father Lucifer. Now too weak to stop Adrian and Cassius, he sends Nicky to Earth with a silver flask that traps whoever drinks from it inside.

Nicky has difficulty surviving on Earth and is killed several times, landing in Hell and returning to New York each time. While learning how to eat and sleep, he meets a possessed talking bulldog named Mr. Beefy, rents an apartment with an actor named Todd and falls in love with a design student named Valerie. Nicky encounters Adrian but fails to capture him and scares Valerie away. Nicky then observes Cassius on television possessing the referee of a Harlem Globetrotters game. Nicky arrives at the game and successfully tricks Cassius into the flask. Satanist metalheads John and Peter swear loyalty to Nicky. That evening, Nicky apologizes to Valerie and they begin a relationship after he reveals who he is and why he's on Earth.

The following day, Adrian possesses the Chief of the New York City Police Department and accuses Nicky of mass murder. Nicky has Todd kill him so he can go back to Hell and ask his father for advice. However, Satan has trouble hearing because his ears have fallen off, and his assistants are panicking because the deadline to capture Adrian and Cassius is approaching.

Back on Earth, Nicky and his friends devise a plan to capture Adrian in a subway station. Adrian discovers their trick and in the ensuing fight, he grabs Valerie and dives onto the track as a train approaches, but Nicky throws her aside, leaving himself and Adrian to be killed by the train.

Arriving in Hell just minutes before midnight, Adrian begins taking over Hell by pushing what remains of his father aside, sitting on the throne, rising to Central Park, and starting a riotous party. Meanwhile, Nicky wakes up in Heaven as a reward for sacrificing himself and meets his mother Holly, an angel who tells him that he can defeat Adrian with the "inner light" that he inherited from her.

After she gives him a mysterious orb, he confronts Adrian in Central Park. Adrian appears to win the battle by transforming into a bat and locking Nicky in the flask. However, Nicky escapes from the flask and shatters the orb, causing Ozzy Osbourne to appear, bite off Adrian's head, and spit it into the flask.

With his brothers captured, Nicky prepares to save his father. He and Valerie express their love for each other and she kills him. In Hell, Satan regains his body and suggests Nicky stay with Valerie to maintain things in the middle while stating to Holly that he still loves her. In the presence of Nicky and Satan, Lucifer shoves the flask containing Adrian and Cassius up Adolf Hitler's rump.

One year later, Nicky and Valerie live in New York with their infant son named Zachariah who has demonic powers.

A postscript revealed what happened to everyone:

  • Valerie accidentally struck Nicky with a shovel which fixed his jaw disfigurement, believing that he is "still no George Clooney".
  • Zachariah was suspended from nursery school after turning another kid's bottle of milk into moose urine.
  • Todd started his one-man show on Broadway which only a transvestite named Andrew/Nipples who attended Adrian's riotous party attended.
  • Mr. Beefy reunited with his rat girlfriend Heather where they got married last April and had five kids.
  • Stanley the Gatekeeper and Gary the Monster also had kids of their own.
  • Satan and Holly have been unable to deal with their long-distance relationship after dating for a while. Satan has been romantically linked to both the Blair Witch and Cher. Holly immediately fell in love with her new aerobics instructor Chris Farley.
  • Using their $25,000,000.00 reward money, John and Peter purchased Led Zeppelin's old touring airplane, stocked it with cake, beer and great tunes, died in a plane crash soon after takeoff due to a lack of a pilot, and ended up happily in Hell as honored residents who have been given Nicky's old bedroom to party in.

Cast

[edit]
  • Adam Sandler as Nicky, the youngest son of Satan and an angel named Holly.
  • Patricia Arquette as Valerie Veran, a design student who Nicky falls for.
  • Harvey Keitel as Satan, the ruler of Hell, the father of Nicky, Adrian, and Cassius.
  • Rhys Ifans as Adrian, the devious firstborn of Satan.
  • Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. as Cassius, the brutish second son of Satan.
  • Allen Covert as Todd, a failed actor who takes Nicky in as a roommate.
  • Robert Smigel as the voice of Mr. Beefy, a possessed bulldog and an old friend of Satan that Nicky befriends.
  • Peter Dante as Peter, a Satanist metalhead and friend of John who befriends Nicky.
  • Jonathan Loughran as John, a Satanist metalhead and friend of Peter who befriends Nicky.
  • Rodney Dangerfield as Lucifer, Nicky, Adrian, and Cassius's paternal grandfather and Satan's father who created Hell.
  • Kevin Nealon as Stanley "Tit-Head", the Gatekeeper of Hell, whose namesake originates from Satan manifesting breasts on top of his head as punishment for failing to stop Adrian and Cassius from leaving Hell.
  • Blake Clark as Jimmy, a demon who is one of Satan's advisors.
  • Reese Witherspoon as Holly, an angel who is Nicky's mother.
  • Quentin Tarantino as a blind deacon who senses Nicky's presence as a sign of the apocalypse.
  • Jon Lovitz as The Peeper, a pervert who gets caught spying on Mrs. Dunleavy from a tree. He is killed by Scotty after he slingshots a rock at him, condemning to Hell where he is chased by giant horny birds.
  • Michael McKean as the unnamed Chief of Police whom Adrian possesses.
  • John Witherspoon as a Street Vendor who briefly steals Nicky's flask.
  • Lewis Arquette as a cardinal
  • Dana Carvey as Whitey Duvall, the referee. Character credited as "Referee".
  • Ellen Cleghorne as a mother at the Globetrotters Game
  • John Farley as a Human Dartboard
  • Clint Howard as Andrew/Nipples, a transvestite that attended Adrian's riotous party in Central Park
  • Leah Lail as Christa
  • Dan Marino as himself, he tries to sell his soul to Satan in exchange for a Super Bowl victory, only to be declined when Satan considers himself too good to claim his soul.
  • Ozzy Osbourne as himself, he is summoned by Nicky to bite the head off of Adrian's bat form.
  • Regis Philbin as himself
  • Rob Schneider as a Townie who attends Adrian's riotous party in Central Park and witnesses Nicky's fight with Adrian. Schneider reprises his role from The Waterboy.
  • Frank Sivero as an Alumni Hall Announcer
  • Jackie Titone as Jenna
  • George Wallace as Mayor Randolph, the Mayor of New York City that Cassius possesses.
  • Bill Walton as himself
  • Carl Weathers as Derick "Chubbs" Peterson, a former pro-golfer who is now a dance instructor in Heaven. Weathers reprises his role from Happy Gilmore where his accidental death occurred.
  • Henry Winkler as himself, he gets covered by bees twice in Central Park with the first one caused by Adrian and the second one caused by Nicky.
  • Laura Harring as Mrs. Veronique Dunleavy, a woman who is spied upon by the Peeper
  • Isaiah Griffin as Scotty Dunleavy, the son of Mrs. Dunleavy.
  • Christopher Carroll as Adolf Hitler, head of the Nazi Party, who is condemned to Hell, dressed as a French maid, and routinely has large pineapples forced into his anus by Satan
  • Joseph S. Griffo as an Evil Little Person
  • Michael Deak as Gary the Monster
  • Fred Wolf as a Harlem Globetrotters fan.
  • Radio Man as himself (deleted scene)

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

It opened at #2 at the North American box office making $16 million USD in its opening weekend, behind Charlie's Angels, which was on its second consecutive week at the top spot.[3] The film went on to earn $39.5 million domestically and another $18.8 million worldwide, bringing the total to $58 million.

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 22% of 114 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Despite the presence of a large, talented cast, the jokes in Little Nicky are dumb, tasteless, and not that funny, and Adam Sandler's character is grating to watch."[4] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 38 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[5] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B" on a scale of A to F.[6]

Comedian and former Mystery Science Theater 3000 host Michael J. Nelson named the film the worst comedy ever made.[7] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a score of two-and-a-half stars out of four, describing Little Nicky as "the best Sandler movie to date" and the Nicky character as "intriguing", while at the same time lamenting Sandler's lack of finesse and vocal quirks.[8]

In 2020, Evan Saathoff of /Film argued against the characterization of Little Nicky as being "a blight on [Sandler's] filmography", writing that Sandler "certainly never got this wild again, not in one of his own films at least."[9]

Accolades

[edit]

The film was nominated for five awards at the 21st Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Adam Sandler), Worst Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette), Worst Director and Worst Screenplay. It lost in all categories to Battlefield Earth starring John Travolta. At the 2000 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, the film received seven total nominations: Worst Picture (lost to Battlefield Earth), Worst Actor for Sandler (lost to John Travolta), Worst On-Screen Couple for Sandler and that unfunny bulldog (lost to John Travolta and everyone in the galaxy for Battlefield Earth), Most Annoying Fake Accent for Sandler, Worst On-Screen Hairstyle for Sandler (lost to both Travolta and Forest Whitaker for Battlefield Earth), Most Annoying Product Placement for Popeyes Chicken (lost to FedEx and Wilson in Cast Away), and Most Unfunny Comic Relief for the painfully unfunny talking bulldog (lost to Tom Green for Road Trip and Charlie's Angels). As noted, its only win was for Most Annoying Fake Accent.[10]

Home media

[edit]

Little Nicky was released on DVD and VHS on April 24, 2001, by New Line Home Entertainment. The DVD includes two audio commentaries, a special feature dedicated to rock/metal music, the music video "School of Hard Knocks" by P.O.D., and deleted scenes.

Scream Factory released the film on Blu-ray for the first time on August 8, 2023, with all the special features from the DVD release and a new master from a 2K scan.

Soundtrack

[edit]
Little Nicky (Music from the Motion Picture)
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedOctober 31, 2000 (2000-10-31)
GenreNu metal[11]
Length48:31
LabelMaverick
Producer
Singles from Little Nicky (Music from the Motion Picture)
  1. "School of Hard Knocks"
    Released: December 2000
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[12]
Soundtrack.NetStarStarHalf star[13]

The soundtrack album, Little Nicky (Music from the Motion Picture), was released October 31, 2000, through Maverick Records and featured a lineup that leaned heavily toward Maverick recording artists that included Deftones, Insolence, Muse and Ünloco.

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."School of Hard Knocks" (performed by P.O.D.)
4:04
2."Pardon Me" (performed by Incubus)
3:45
3."Change (In the House of Flies)" (performed by Deftones)
4:58
4."(Rock) Superstar" (performed by Cypress Hill)
DJ Muggs4:37
5."Natural High" (performed by Insolence)
  • Mark Herman
  • William Rosenthal
  • Armando Cardenas
  • Paul Perry
Sylvia Massy3:20
6."Points of Authority" (performed by Linkin Park)
Don Gilmore3:21
7."Stupify (Fu's Forbidden Little Nicky Remix)" (performed by Disturbed)
5:08
8."Nothing" (performed by Ünloco)
  • Joey L. Dueñas
  • Brian Arthur
  • Peter Navarrete
  • Victor Escareño
Johnny K2:40
9."When Worlds Collide" (performed by Powerman 5000)
2:57
10."Cave" (performed by Muse)Matthew BellamyJohn Leckie4:46
11."Take a Picture" (performed by Filter)Richard Patrick
4:22
12."Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) (Acoustic)" (performed by Deftones)
  • Moreno
  • Cheng
  • Cunningham
  • Carpenter
4:33
Total length:48:31
Notes
  • Tracks 8 and 12 were not featured in the film

Video game

[edit]
Main article: Little Nicky (video game)

A Game Boy Color game based on the film was released on December 15, 2000.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Little Nicky

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Little Nicky is a American fantasy comedy film directed by Steven Brill and co-written by Brill, , and , who also stars as the titular character, the good-hearted son of sent to to retrieve his evil brothers before they unleash on humanity. The film follows Nicky, a half-angel, half-demon living in Hell, who embarks on a quest to after his brothers and Cassius escape and begin collecting souls to force their father, (played by ), to vacate Hell by sundown on his 10,000th birthday. Accompanied by a talking bulldog named Mr. Beefy, Nicky navigates earthly challenges, falls in love with Valerie (), and battles his siblings with supernatural powers, blending humor, , and cameos from celebrities like and . Produced by Sandler's Happy Madison Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema, Little Nicky features a supporting cast including as Adrian, Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. as Cassius, and cameos from as Satan's former boss and as the referee during a infamous basketball scene. With a budget of $85 million, the film grossed $39.5 million in the United States and and $58.3 million worldwide, marking it as a disappointment. Critically, it received mixed to negative reviews, earning a 21% approval rating from critics on for its uneven tone and reliance on crude humor, though it garnered a 55% audience score, appealing to fans of Sandler's style.

Production

Development

The development of Little Nicky originated in the late 1990s as a comedic vehicle for , blending supernatural themes with humor through the lens of Satan's dysfunctional family. The screenplay was co-written by , Sandler's longtime collaborator from films like and , along with Sandler himself and director Steven Brill, emphasizing irreverent takes on hellish dynamics and brotherly rivalry. Sandler not only starred as the titular character but also executive produced the film via his newly founded , established in 1999 to support his creative projects independently. This marked one of the company's earliest features, co-produced with ' RSC Media, and leveraged Sandler's rising star power following the commercial success of Big Daddy earlier that year. greenlit the project with a budget of approximately $85 million, reflecting confidence in Sandler's draw despite the film's shift toward effects-heavy fantasy comedy. Pre-production advanced swiftly in 1999, with the script finalized that year to align with principal photography starting on November 2 in and . Location scouting focused on New York to juxtapose urban scenes against constructed hellish sets, enhancing the film's thematic contrast between infernal origins and mortal chaos. Casting decisions included as , selected for his ability to infuse into the devilish role amid the surrounding .

Filming

Principal photography for Little Nicky took place from November 2, 1999, to April 5, 2000, under the direction of Steven Brill. The production spanned multiple sites to capture the film's dual settings of and Earth, blending practical location shooting with studio work. Earth-based scenes were primarily filmed in , utilizing iconic urban landmarks to evoke the chaotic human world. Key locations included for transit sequences, Central Park's South End for outdoor moments like Nicky's nap on a rock, a police station at 60 Cleveland Place and Spring Street in , and streets such as , Minetta Lane, 28 East 4th Street, and for character interactions. Additional New York exteriors, including subway and street scenes, contributed to the film's gritty metropolitan atmosphere. Hell sequences and interior sets were shot on soundstages in , , taking advantage of the area's production facilities, while a basketball game was filmed over three days at the on the Long Beach State University campus in . The film's supernatural elements relied on a mix of practical effects and early 2000s CGI. KNB EFX Group handled special makeup and creature effects, creating prosthetics for demonic characters and transformations, such as Cassius's evolution into the Beast. Rhythm & Hues Studios and VisionArt provided support, enhancing demons, hellfire, and other otherworldly visuals with digital augmentation to integrate seamlessly with live-action footage. On-set dynamics emphasized improvisation, with the cast—many of whom were Adam Sandler's longtime collaborators from —encouraged to ad-lib dialogue and actions to heighten the comedy's spontaneity. Filming in New York presented logistical challenges, including navigating crowded streets with the bulldog portraying Mr. Beefy, which complicated takes and required careful animal handling. Sandler formed a personal bond with the role's canine co-star, later adopting a similar bulldog puppy named . Post-production commenced immediately after principal photography wrapped, with editing led by Jeff Gourson and visual effects finalization by the collaborating studios to meet the film's November 10, 2000, release date. The process incorporated the improvised footage and CGI refinements, ensuring the supernatural comedy's tone remained intact.

Synopsis and Cast

Plot

In Hell, () has ruled for 10,000 years and announces his intention to retire, selecting one of his three sons as successor based on their ability to corrupt souls on Earth. His eldest sons, the ruthless Adrian () and Cassius (Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr.), escape to , where they possess humans and sow chaos to weaken the barrier between realms and open Hell's gates by midnight, causing to physically deteriorate as the gates freeze and souls cannot enter. The third son, the kind-hearted and clumsy Nicky (), who is half-angel from his mother's side, is chosen by to retrieve his brothers; Nicky is given a and a flask that summons a fiery "hellmobile" from , with a deadline before midnight, after which Hell will freeze over permanently if he fails. Nicky arrives in New York, where he inhabits the body of a deceased college student, befriends a talking named Mr. Beefy, and enrolls at a local university to blend in while tracking his brothers' demonic influence, which manifests in societal chaos like altered billboards and lowered drinking ages. He develops a romance with Valerie (), a compassionate design student he meets at school, but faces interference from and Cassius, who send demons to hinder him; Nicky gains confidence through battles, including trapping Cassius in his flask after a confrontation at a . As the deadline approaches, manipulates events to kidnap Valerie and escalate the chaos, leading to intense demonic skirmishes across the city. The story culminates in Central Park, where Adrian unleashes a horde of demons to harvest souls and open Hell's gates; Nicky harnesses his latent powers, defeats Adrian in a fierce showdown with help from Ozzy Osbourne biting off Adrian's head, rescues Valerie, and returns both brothers to Hell just in time. With the balance restored, Satan retires, and Nicky assumes rule of Hell, embracing his dual heritage of good and evil to maintain equilibrium between realms. The 90-minute film structures its narrative into three acts: an opening setup in Hell establishing the family conflict, a middle act of confrontation and growth on Earth, and a resolution affirming themes of redemption through Nicky's actions.

Cast

The principal cast of Little Nicky (2000) is led by as Nicky, the benevolent youngest son of who possesses abilities but struggles with his demonic heritage. portrays Valerie Veran, Nicky's romantic interest and a student who becomes entangled in his conflicts. plays , the authoritative ruler of whose tough, no-nonsense demeanor draws from Keitel's established screen persona in gritty roles. The antagonists are embodied by as , Satan's cunning and ambitious eldest son intent on overthrowing his father, and Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. as Cassius, the brutish second son known as the Beast for his immense strength and ferocity. Supporting roles include as , Satan's father and the creator of , delivering in his brief but memorable appearance. appears as the Deacon, a celibate and eccentric holy man who detects demonic presences. cameos as himself, the affable actor caught in a chaotic mishap. Additional notable supporting players feature frequent Adam Sandler collaborators, reflecting the close-knit "family" dynamic of his production circle. Allen Covert plays Todd, a hapless aspiring actor and Nicky's roommate in New York. Rob Schneider reprises his The Waterboy character as the Townie, a rowdy onlooker at key events. Reese Witherspoon portrays Holly, the angelic mother of Nicky whose serene nature contrasts the film's hellish elements. The film credits approximately 50 actors in total, blending established stars with comedic ensemble players for its supernatural farce.
ActorRoleCharacter Description
Adam SandlerNickyGood-natured son of with emerging demonic powers.
Valerie VeranResourceful design student drawn into otherworldly events.
Charismatic yet tyrannical lord of the underworld.
AdrianScheming, power-hungry firstborn demon.
Tommy Lister Jr.Cassius (the Beast)Towering, violent enforcer among demons.
LuciferBoisterous grandfather and Hell's originator.
DeaconParanoid, virgin priest sensitive to evil.
HimselfCheerful celebrity victim of demonic pranks.
HollyKind-hearted angel and maternal figure.
ToddBumbling, unsuccessful performer.
[Rob Schneider](/page/Rob Schneider)The TownieBoisterous, familiar comic side character.

Release

Premiere and distribution

Little Nicky had its world premiere on November 2, 2000, at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, California, ahead of its wide theatrical release in the United States on November 10, 2000, distributed by New Line Cinema. The film was rolled out internationally starting later that month, with releases in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2000, France on November 22, 2000, and Germany on February 22, 2001, extending into select markets in 2001, such as Sweden on March 23. Dubbed versions were produced for non-English markets, including Spanish and French dubs to accommodate European and Asian audiences. The marketing campaign highlighted Adam Sandler's blend of comedy and horror elements, featuring trailers that showcased heavy metal music and cameos from rock stars like Ozzy Osbourne to appeal to fans of nu metal and Sandler's irreverent style. Promotional tie-ins included a soundtrack album with tracks from nu metal bands such as P.O.D. and Drowning Pool, while posters emphasized hellish imagery with Sandler as the devil's son amid flames and demonic motifs. New Line Cinema invested heavily in promotion, reportedly spending significantly on advertising to leverage Sandler's post-Big Daddy popularity. Distribution faced challenges due to the film's PG-13 rating for crude sexual humor, drug references, , and involving and violence, which limited broader appeal but targeted Sandler's core demographic of fans aged 13 to 25, primarily young males. Initial box office tracking projected an opening weekend of around $18 million, reflecting expectations for a strong performance in a competitive November slate against films like .

Box office

Little Nicky was released on November 10, 2000, and grossed $16.1 million in its opening weekend across 2,910 theaters, placing second at the North American behind Charlie's Angels in its second week. The film ultimately earned $39.5 million domestically, representing a significant drop from Adam Sandler's previous comedies like Big Daddy, which opened to $41.5 million. Internationally, it added $18.8 million, with the strongest performances in the ($2.0 million), ($1.8 million), and ($1.7 million). The film's worldwide total of $58.3 million fell short of its $85 million , marking a theatrical loss estimated at over $20 million after exhibitor cuts and marketing costs exceeding $35 million. Contributing factors included stiff competition from ($25.4 million in its second weekend) and (holding fourth place), which crowded the fall comedy slate. Poor critical reception and the film's supernatural horror-comedy genre—departing from Sandler's typical grounded humor—resulted in a steep 52% drop in its second weekend to $7.8 million, limiting its legs. Sandler's star power drove the solid opening, but audience fatigue with devil-themed films like Bedazzled and the movie's juvenile tone further hampered performance. Theatrical earnings failed to recoup costs, contributing to New Line Cinema's losses that year and impacting Time Warner's overall financial growth. However, ancillary revenues, including $8 million from U.S. TV rights, provided partial recovery, with sales likely bolstering long-term profitability in line with Sandler's track record for strong post-theatrical performance.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release, Little Nicky received predominantly negative reviews from critics, who found its humor crude and execution lacking despite an ambitious premise blending fantasy with comedy. On , the film earned a 21% approval rating based on 112 reviews, with the site's consensus describing the jokes as "dumb, tasteless, and not that funny" while noting that Sandler's central performance comes across as "grating to watch." On , it scored 38 out of 100 based on 29 critic reviews, reflecting "generally unfavorable" reception, with only 24% of reviews positive and the rest mixed or negative. Some reviewers praised Sandler's committed, earnest portrayal of the titular character and the film's energetic visual gags, particularly the chaotic hellish sequences and celebrity cameos that inject bursts of fun. Roger Ebert awarded it 2 out of 4 stars, calling it "the best Sandler movie to date" for its entertaining premise involving Satan's family dynamics and the lively supporting cast, including standout moments from a talking bulldog sidekick. Variety highlighted the "devilishly energetic" pace and abundance of laughs, crediting Sandler's draw for assembling talents like Harvey Keitel, though it noted the gags' tendency to veer into offensiveness across religious, sexual, and other sensitive themes. The negative consensus centered on the film's juvenile humor, uneven tone shifting between and horror, and a weak script that fails to cohere its influences, often likened to a derivative mix of Ghostbusters-style antics and darker infernal tropes without the polish of either. Critics frequently lambasted the script's reliance on gross-out jokes and product placements, with the consensus encapsulating the view that the talented ensemble is wasted on material that feels sloppy and overreaching in its attempts at outrageous on hell, sin, and redemption. Variety described it as "disgorging more than enough gags, lines, stunts and visual detritus to offend every imaginable group," pointing to divisive elements in its religious parody and sexist undertones that alienated audiences seeking more sophisticated humor. Despite the critical panning, contemporary reception was more favorable, with moviegoers polled by giving the film a "B" grade on an A-to-F scale, suggesting fans appreciated its broad comedic appeal and Sandler's fan-service style even if it lacked depth.

Accolades

Little Nicky received predominantly negative recognition through nominations at awards ceremonies focused on poor cinematic achievements, with no major positive accolades. At the in 2001, the film earned five nominations, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor for , and Worst Director for Steven Brill, but won none. The 2000 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards highlighted the film's shortcomings with one win and six nominations; it won Most Annoying Fake Accent for Adam Sandler's performance, while receiving nominations for Worst Film, Worst Actor for Sandler, and others such as Worst On-Screen Couple. In more mainstream ceremonies, the film garnered a nomination at the 2001 for Best Cameo for Ozzy Osbourne's appearance, but no wins. Overall, these accolades underscored the film's status as a critical and commercial disappointment, with recognition limited to satirical honors for its flaws.

Media Adaptations

Home media

The film was released on and DVD on April 24, 2001, by New Line Home Entertainment. The DVD edition, part of the New Line Platinum Series, featured a widescreen presentation in 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 5.1 audio, along with special features including a feature-length track by , director Steven Brill, and co-writer ; a separate cast commentary hosted by with participants such as , , and ; deleted scenes with optional director commentary; behind-the-scenes featurettes like "Adam Sandler Goes to Hell"; the P.O.D. music video for ""; and theatrical trailers. A Blu-ray edition debuted on August 8, 2023, from Scream Factory, featuring a new 2K scan of the original interpositive for and . It retained most of the original DVD extras, including both audio commentaries, deleted and alternate scenes, featurettes, the music video, trailers, and TV spots. Digitally, Little Nicky became available for purchase and rental on (now ) around 2010 and remains accessible on platforms such as , , , and Vudu. It streams periodically on in select regions and other services like . No 4K UHD release has been issued as of 2025.

Video game

A tie-in video game adaptation of Little Nicky was released exclusively for the Game Boy Color in December 2000, developed by and published by . The game follows the film's plot, with Nicky tasked by to retrieve the souls of his escaped brothers and Cassius before they corrupt . Gameplay centers on a side-scrolling action-platformer format, where players control Nicky navigating levels that transition from Hell to urban New York settings. Nicky engages in against demons, collects souls to power up abilities like fireball attacks and temporary flight, and solves basic puzzles to progress. The structure includes 15 main levels and 5 mini-games, culminating in boss battles against and Cassius. Key features encompass simple 2D graphics with animated sprites depicting Nicky and demonic foes, a password-based save system for resuming progress, and supernatural mechanics such as possession of enemies or environmental interactions near sources to boost . The game received an ESRB rating of Teen for comic mischief, mature sexual themes, and strong language. Reception was mixed, with praise for its faithful adaptation of the movie's humor and solid audio design including heavy metal tracks, but criticism for imprecise controls, short length, and occasional glitches. awarded it 8 out of 10, calling it a "good one" despite sloppiness, while gave it 4 out of 10, highlighting frustrating hit detection and jump mechanics. No ports to other consoles or sequels were produced.

Soundtrack and Music

Soundtrack album

The soundtrack album for Little Nicky, titled Little Nicky: Music from the Motion Picture, was released on October 31, 2000, by Maverick Records. It features 12 tracks drawn from the nu metal and rock genres, highlighting prominent bands of the era such as P.O.D., Incubus, Deftones, and Linkin Park. Key tracks include "" by P.O.D., "" by , "Change (In the House of Flies)" by , "(Rock) Superstar" by featuring and , "" by , "" by Disturbed, and "" by . The full tracklist is as follows:
No.TitleArtistLength
1P.O.D.4:04
23:45
3Change (In the House of Flies)4:58
4(Rock) Superstar4:37
5Natural HighInsolence3:20
63:21
7Disturbed5:08
8NothingÜnloco2:40
92:57
104:46
11Take a PictureFilter4:22
12Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) (Acoustic)4:33
The selections emphasize high-energy and , curated to align with the film's dynamic sequences. The album contains no original songs composed or performed by the film's cast, instead focusing on licensed material from established and rising contemporary metal acts to attract a youthful demographic. It received promotion through film-related marketing and music television outlets like . The soundtrack remains available for streaming on platforms such as and , with physical CD editions accessible via online retailers.

Original score

The original score for Little Nicky was composed by , with additional music by . Recorded in 2000, the score employed a hybrid approach blending orchestral elements with electronic instrumentation to produce distinctive hellish tones that complemented the film's and comedic atmosphere. Castellucci's work encompassed over 40 cues, scored after to align with the final edit of the film, and was closely integrated with the sound design team to amplify effects like demonic manifestations and otherworldly transitions. Stylistically, the score combined sweeping orchestral passages for high-stakes action and emotional beats, playful sections to underscore the film's gags and humorous moments, and rock-infused rhythms to heighten the intensity of chase sequences and infernal chaos. Unlike the commercial featuring licensed songs, the original score was not released for public purchase, though a promotional edition was produced in 2000.

Legacy

Cultural impact

Despite its initial critical and commercial failure, Little Nicky has developed a dedicated in subsequent years, appreciated for Adam Sandler's eccentric performance and the film's quotable dialogue. This ironic appreciation surged in the amid broader for Sandler's early comedic work, with fans revisiting the movie for its bizarre elements and over-the-top humor. The film exemplifies the early 2000s trend of gross-out comedies, blending , visual effects-driven gags, and irreverent takes on hellish themes in a style influenced by the era's Farrelly Brothers-inspired fare. Its juvenile and often crude jokes, including sexual innuendos and bodily humor, have drawn retrospective critique for feeling dated and problematic in the post-#MeToo landscape, highlighting shifts in comedic sensibilities. Availability on streaming platforms like has boosted its visibility, introducing the film to younger audiences and contributing to renewed discussions of its quirky legacy. Online, elements of the plot—such as Satan's dynamics—have inspired memes and GIFs shared across digital communities, perpetuating its niche pop culture footprint.

Modern assessments

In the , retrospective reviews of Little Nicky have shown a modest uptick in appreciation, particularly among audiences who value its ambitious supernatural comedy amid Adam Sandler's more formulaic output. The film's audience score on stands at 55%, reflecting a growing fondness for its chaotic energy and visual flair, with viewers praising the prescience of its early-2000s in depicting hellish realms and Sandler's portrayal of vulnerability in the titular role. Similarly, highlighted the movie's creative risks in , noting how its "deliriously heightened vision of hell" showcases Sandler's willingness to experiment beyond typical rom-com tropes. The 2023 Blu-ray release by Shout! Factory has further fueled reevaluations, with critics lauding it as an "unfairly maligned" entry in Sandler's filmography. Blu-ray.com awarded the edition high marks for its upgraded transfer and immersive audio, which enhance the film's heavy metal soundtrack and effects-heavy sequences, prompting outlets like Geek Vibes Nation to call it a "significant upgrade" that reveals overlooked charm in its ensemble cameos. Critic updates in the streaming era have echoed this sentiment, with Slashfilm's 2020 defense arguing that Little Nicky represents one of Sandler's "best movies" for its bold storytelling, despite initial box-office disappointment teaching him to avoid such whimsy. Fan-driven podcasts, such as So Sandlerous' 2022 episode, emphasize its rewatch value through absurd gags and celebrity roasts, positioning it as a favorite on platforms like . In 2025, marking the film's 25th anniversary, reassessments have called for its reappraisal as an underrated entry in Sandler's oeuvre, praising its eclectic cast and absurd humor as better than initially remembered. However, modern assessments also critique gaps in the film's legacy, particularly its lack of racial and diversity in casting and narrative, which has deterred remake considerations amid heightened industry standards. This dated approach, evident in its predominantly white and stereotypical humor, contrasts with contemporary comedies and contributes to its avoidance in reboot discussions.

References

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