Netflix's New Adam Sandler-Backed Comedy Gets Star-Studded First Look Ahead of April 17th Release [Exclusive]

The first year of college can be a wildly anxiety-filled one. For many freshmen, it’s their first time living away from family, which usually comes with plenty of ups and downs attached. Finding the rhythm of a new life filled with fresh faces and packed with classes can be difficult, but the payoff is often huge. Soon, filmmaker Chandler Levack (I Like Movies) will be moving viewers into the dorms for her latest feature, Roommates, when it arrives on Netflix April 17. Today, as part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview event, we’ve got a brand-new look at the comedy, which features the talents of Sadie Sandler, Chloe East, Billy Bryk, and more.

The storyline will follow Sandler’s Devon, a freshman who thinks she’s making big moves after asking the very chill, cool girl Celeste (East) to be her roommate. Soon, things take a turn for the worse, and the two engage in an all-out war of passive aggression. Filling out the rest of the title’s ensemble is a lineup that includes Sarah Sherman, Natasha Lyonne, Nick Kroll, Aidan Langford, Josh Segarra, Martin Herlihy, Janeane Garofalo, Carol Kane, Ivy Wolk, Bailee Madison, Bella Murphy, Storm Reid, and Jaya Harper.

In our first look image, four friends are enjoying the calmer side of college while lounging on some blankets. Murphy, East, Sandler, and Harper’s characters take a second from their study plans and flash smiles and peace signs, showing off the brighter side of higher education.

Chandler Levack Knows ‘Roommates’ Will Resonate with Audiences

In addition to our new image from Roommates, we also spoke with the film's director. Opening up about what makes this film stand out from others that explore the college experience, Levack said:

“Your first year of college can be one of the most anxiety-inducting periods of your life. This is a really audacious, fun comedy that still feels really raw and authentic to the harrowing experience of trying to make friends in your first year of college. Sadie Sandler and Chloe East have incredible chemistry, and Jimmy Fowlie and Ceara Jane O'Sullivan’s script takes you on an epic ride. The film has a really unique tone, somewhere between Lady Bird, Mean Girls, and, of course, a Happy Madison movie.”

And then there’s the cast. While Roommates will showcase the talents of numerous up-and-coming performers, it also has an onslaught of well-seasoned Hollywood favorites. Thrilled for viewers to watch everyone shine, Kevack added, “It also has one of the greatest supporting casts, from SNL stars like Sarah Sherman and Martin Herlihy to comedy legends like Janeane Garofalo, Nick Kroll, and Natasha Lyonne, to the legendary Carol Kane. Every day on set was an embarrassment of riches. There is also some incredible young talent, like Aidan Langford, Billy Byrk, Bella Murphy, and Jaya Harper, who are fantastic in the film.”

When it comes to the specifics about why she was pulled into the project, the Mile End Kicks director said, “I was really drawn to the authenticity of the script and Jimmy and Ceara's ability to constantly shock me while also making me laugh so hard… My cinematographer, Maria Rusche, especially elevated the story through really unique storytelling.” There was also the hook of Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions backing the project, and his daughter, Sadie Sandler, starring. As a massive fan of the Billy Madison actor, it was a no-brainer for Kevack, who explained:

“I really wanted to work with Sadie Sandler who I thought was incredible in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah and collaborate with Adam Sandler, who has been one of my chief comedic inspirations. I grew up on teen movies and Adam Sandler movies, and this film really evoked the movies that basically formed my cerebral cortex when I was a teenager. Happy Madison's commitment to telling stories about young women and working with emerging female and non-binary filmmakers is really exciting and it felt like a space where I could really challenge myself to evolve as a filmmaker. What I got was simply the best education in comedy filmmaking anyone could ever get… It was simply a joy to direct this film.”

Check out our exclusive first-look image for Roommates above and watch it on Netflix April 17. Stay tuned for more to come from Collider’s Exclusive Preview event.