Forbes has announced the ranking of Hollywood actors' earnings for 2025.

It's not Tom Cruise in first place, nor is it Brad Pitt.

With an income of $48 million (approximately 66.2 billion won) for the year 2025, Adam Sandler takes the top spot.

Honestly, when I first saw it, I thought, "No way." Isn't he just a washed-up comedy actor?

Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore... what else? Oh right, that guy from 50 First Dates, which really captures the vibe of the 2000s.

But numbers don't lie. According to Forbes, Adam Sandler is the overwhelming number one for estimated earnings in 2025.

Many people say, "Thanks to Netflix, Adam Sandler has made a comeback."

In my view, that's incorrect. To be precise, Adam Sandler is the actor who best understands and utilizes Netflix's strategy.

In 2014, Adam Sandler signed a four-film deal with Netflix. What was the industry reaction at the time? "He's going to streaming because he can't make it in theaters anymore."

At that time, his box office performance was dismal. Pixels flopped, and The Cobbler was a failure.

Critics wrote, "The era of Adam Sandler is over."

But Netflix's data told a different story. His older films were racking up huge view counts on streaming.

From Netflix's perspective, he was a proven actor with a fanbase.

The deal was made. What started as four films turned into eight, and now he is essentially one of Netflix's key partners.

Adam Sandler's movies have terrible average scores on Rotten Tomatoes. But Netflix viewing hours are top-tier. This gap is key.

Movies that critics love are different from those that the public watches. It has always been that way. Consider the characteristics of Adam Sandler's fanbase.

Millennials who grew up watching his movies in their teens and twenties are now in their thirties and forties. Films that you can watch to turn off your brain after a long day. Family-friendly comedies that are easy to watch together. This demand doesn't go away.

Even if they are old, comfortable movies are still playing on TVs in living rooms. If there is market demand, then that is what matters.

However, to be honest, there has been a decisive moment that made me revisit Adam Sandler recently.

In 2019, Uncut Gems. Directed by the Safdie brothers, starring Adam Sandler.

After watching this movie, I realized, "This guy doesn't just do comedy."

He didn't even get an Academy nomination, and there was a huge uproar about it, but his performance was highly praised by critics.

The Golden Globes ignored him. But audience reactions and critic responses were that it was a brilliant performance.

He doesn't just do comedy on purpose; he does comedy because it makes money. This is business.

Understanding this reveals his career strategy. He created a stable income pipeline with Netflix and occasionally proves his range with serious projects. It's a perfect portfolio strategy from an ROI perspective.

We often use the term "washed-up" too easily. The American market doesn't just allow comebacks; comebacks happen when there is actual demand.

No one is forcing Adam Sandler's movies on anyone. Netflix may occasionally make foolish decisions, but they don't continuously engage in charity work.

The moment we judge something as "washed-up," we make the mistake of confusing our personal tastes with market data.

I made that mistake too. So my belief is that Adam Sandler's number one spot in 2025 is neither luck nor a twist.

It is the result of thoroughly calculated positioning. He faced actual consumers, not critics. He understood the essence of streaming platforms early on. And he maintained his brand while showing seriousness when necessary.

The market is always right. What I thought was "washed-up" was just my own opinion. And you probably felt the same way.

The lesson for us: We may ignore Adam Sandler, but in the end, we are just spectators watching him deposit millions of dollars in the bank.