Why wasn’t Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2? He gave his own answer in a 2012 radio interview: his TV series and money. Vulture reported it in March 2013, four months before the film opened on July 12, 2013.
Then, on August 6, 2026, Netflix confirmed he’s back for Grown Ups 3. Below, every step carries a date and an outlet.
Grown Ups opened in June 2010 with five male leads. Four of them returned for the sequel. Schneider didn’t.
The Short Answer: Why Wasn’t Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2?
Three reasons appear in the record. Only the first two come from Schneider himself.
- Schedule. His CBS sitcom Rob aired January to March 2012, and he wasn’t sure it would continue (SlashFilm, 2023).
- Money. He said Happy Madison should have asked what pay he wanted (Vulture, 2013).
- Family. Screen Rant (2024) adds that his wife, Patricia, was pregnant during production. Schneider didn’t cite this himself.
No outlet has documented a feud with Adam Sandler. Schneider worked with Sandler again in 2017, 2020 and 2025. The full timeline follows.
Timeline: Why Wasn’t Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2, Year by Year
Every entry has a date and an outlet. Reporter names appear only where the published copy names one.
- June 2010: Grown Ups opens. Schneider plays hippie friend Rob Hilliard beside Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade. The Hollywood Reporter (August 6, 2026) says Sony released it in June 2010 and it passed $270 million worldwide.
- January–March 2012: Rob airs on CBS. SlashFilm’s Jeremy Mathai (October 18, 2023) says the sitcom ran one season. It drew weak reviews and low viewership.
- 2012: The radio interview. Schneider told CBS Radio Houston that Grown Ups 2 was going ahead without him. He said he wasn’t sure he’d keep his series, so “it was an availability thing.” He added that Happy Madison should have asked what money he needed. Vulture carried the interview in March 2013.
- May 2012: CBS cancels Rob. Looper (January 21, 2022) cites TV By The Numbers for the May cancellation. It says Grown Ups 2 began filming in Massachusetts around then, per the Boston Globe.
- Summer 2012: Filming. Vulture (March 2013) says the sequel shot during summer, a hiatus for most network shows. That timing matters because CBS had already cancelled Rob.
- November 16, 2012: Miranda Scarlett is born. The Hollywood Reporter gave the date for Schneider and Patricia’s first daughter, as cited in our Screen Rant (January 31, 2024) lists Patricia’s pregnancy during production as a factor. Schneider didn’t mention it in the 2012 interview.
Related Read: Rob Schneider Wife Patricia Azarcoya: Married in 2010
- March 2013: Vulture reports the replacement. Nick Swardson plays Nick Hilliard, the brother of Schneider’s character. Vulture called the reasons unclear, doubted the scheduling claim, and said Schneider had also missed Sandler’s three previous films. Only Vulture reports that last detail, and no second outlet confirms it.
- July 12, 2013: Grown Ups 2 opens. Variety’s 2013 review called Schneider’s absence a mystery. Screen Rant (July 1, 2026) puts the sequel’s box office at $247 million.
- 2017 and 2020: Back with Sandler. SlashFilm (October 2023) points to Sandy Wexler in 2017 and Hubie Halloween in 2020. It treats both as proof the friendship held.
- July 2025: Happy Gilmore 2 cameo. The Direct reported on July 27, 2025 that Schneider had a cameo in the Netflix sequel.
- May 2026: Grown Ups 3 surfaces. Screen Rant (August 7, 2026) says the Netflix revival was reported in May 2026. The cast stayed unconfirmed until August.
- July 1, 2026: A deleted post. Screen Rant (July 1, 2026) reported that Schneider shared, then deleted, an X photo with David Spade “getting wardrobes together.” That report is single-sourced.
- August 6, 2026: Netflix confirms the cast. ★ The entry that changed the picture. Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and the Washington Times all reported it. The Washington Times noted that Schneider returns as Rob after sitting out 2013. Netflix Tudum says filming started in New Jersey.
Who Replaced Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2?
Nick Swardson took the closest slot. Vulture (March 2013) says he played Nick Hilliard, the brother of Schneider’s character, with a similar hairstyle. SlashFilm (2023) calls him a fellow Sandler regular.
He wasn’t the only addition. The Hollywood Reporter (August 6, 2026) says the sequel also added Andy Samberg, Taylor Lautner and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Swardson is back for Grown Ups 3, per Variety on August 6, 2026.
Rob Schneider’s Grown Ups 2 Absence: Facts, Claims and Gaps
What’s Confirmed vs. What’s Alleged (dated)
Confirmed, with dates:
- Schneider didn’t appear in Grown Ups 2, released July 12, 2013 (Variety, 2013; Washington Times, August 6, 2026).
- Swardson played Schneider’s character’s brother (Vulture, March 2013).
- CBS cancelled Rob in May 2012 (Looper, 2022).
- Schneider gave schedule and pay as reasons in 2012 (Vulture, 2013; SlashFilm, 2023).
- He’s in the Grown Ups 3 cast announced August 6, 2026 (Variety; Washington Times).
Alleged or unconfirmed:
- The pay dispute. It comes from Schneider alone, in 2012. SlashFilm (2023) called the money angle possibly exaggerated. No figure has been published.
- The pregnancy factor. Only Screen Rant (2024) lists it. By our count, the November 16, 2012 birth date puts filming inside her pregnancy. That’s an inference, not a reported cause.
- A Sandler falling-out. Screen Rant (2024) says his absence from Grown Ups 2 and later Sandler films fueled the rumor. It then notes the pair kept working together. No outlet documents a rift.
- A political cause. No outlet links the 2013 absence to politics. Rolling Stone’s 2023 timeline dates his first political rally to 2012, as our notes. But his own 2012 explanation never mentioned it.
Explore More: Rob Schneider Blacklisted: What He Says, What the Record Shows
What We Still Don’t Have Full Numbers On
- The proposal. Nobody has published what Happy Madison put on the table or what Schneider wanted.
- Sandler’s account. We found no on-record comment from Sandler on the 2013 casting.
- Filming dates. Looper (2022) points to about May 2012, while Vulture (2013) says summer. Neither gives exact days.
- Vulture’s byline. The copy we reviewed shows no reporter name.
- The earlier missed films. Vulture’s claim about Sandler’s three previous movies has no second source.
- Grown Ups 3 pay. No outlet has confirmed his fee. A $5 million Happy Gilmore 2 figure circulates but isn’t confirmed, as our
More Read: Rob Schneider Net Worth: The Sandler Loyalty Payoff
Official Statements on Why Rob Schneider Wasn’t in Grown Ups 2
- Schneider, 2012 (CBS Radio Houston, via Vulture, March 2013): He said the sequel proceeded without him. He cited doubts about his series and said producers should have asked what pay he wanted.
- Vulture, March 2013: The outlet called the reasons unclear. It said the schedule account didn’t fully fit the dates.
- Variety, 2013: The reviewer treated his absence as a mystery.
- Schneider, about July 1, 2026 (X, since deleted, via Screen Rant): He shared a wardrobe photo with Spade for the third film.
- Netflix, August 6, 2026 (Variety, Washington Times): The studio listed Schneider among the returning leads.
- Sandler and Happy Madison: We found no statement on the 2013 casting.
The Bottom Line on Why Wasn’t Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2
So, why wasn’t Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2? The best-sourced answer is narrow. Schneider said in 2012 that scheduling and pay kept him out.
Vulture (2013) doubted the schedule point because CBS had cancelled Rob in May 2012. Screen Rant (2024) adds the pregnancy, though Schneider never did.
The dated record doesn’t show a split. He returned to Sandler films in 2017, 2020 and 2025, then to the Grown Ups 3 cast on August 6, 2026. That fits a one-film gap better than a feud. It’s a reading of the evidence, not a confirmed fact.
Frequently Asked Questions About Why Rob Schneider Wasn’t in Grown Ups 2
Why wasn’t Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2?
Schneider said in a 2012 radio interview that his TV series left his availability unclear. He also said Happy Madison should have paid him more. Vulture (March 2013) reported it but doubted the schedule point. Screen Rant (2024) adds his wife’s pregnancy as a factor.
Did Rob Schneider and Adam Sandler have a falling out?
No outlet documents one. SlashFilm (October 2023) calls the on-record explanation mundane. Schneider appeared in Sandy Wexler (2017), Hubie Halloween (2020) and Happy Gilmore 2 (2025). Netflix listed him for Grown Ups 3 on August 6, 2026.
Who replaced Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 2?
Nick Swardson, per Vulture (March 2013). He played Nick Hilliard, the brother of Schneider’s character. The Hollywood Reporter (August 6, 2026) says the sequel also added Andy Samberg, Taylor Lautner and Patrick Schwarzenegger.
Was Rob Schneider blacklisted from Grown Ups 2?
No outlet says so. His blacklisting claim dates to an October 2024 interview and a January 4, 2026 Fox News report. His 2012 explanation cited schedule and pay, not politics.
Is Rob Schneider in Grown Ups 3?
Yes. Netflix announced on August 6, 2026 that he returns as Rob, per the Washington Times and Variety. Netflix Tudum says filming began in New Jersey.
Was Rob Schneider’s wife pregnant during Grown Ups 2 filming?
Screen Rant (January 31, 2024) says so. The Hollywood Reporter dates Miranda Scarlett’s birth to November 16, 2012. By our count, that overlaps the 2012 shoot. Schneider didn’t cite it in his interview.
Has Rob Schneider worked with Adam Sandler since Grown Ups 2?
Yes. SlashFilm (October 2023) lists Sandy Wexler in 2017 and Hubie Halloween in 2020. The Direct (July 27, 2025) reported his Happy Gilmore 2 cameo.
Disclaimer: These details reflect publicly available reporting and records — not confirmed statements from the individuals involved. This article reflects publicly reported allegations and legal filings; no claims of guilt are made or implied pending resolution of the case.
